Uprising
by Princesse de Feu
Summary: In May's world, every human has a type, just like Pokémon. The strongest of those types are confined to The Arena, where they are kept from the outside world. Inside The Arena, it is taboo for fire and water types to even speak. May has always followed that rule... Until Ash comes along. Advanceshipping. AaMayL, SatoHaru, Ikarishipping
1. Ash

**Greetings,**

 **So this is a new story. To anyone here from 'Their Tangled Love'- I'm afraid I must discontinue that fic. I wasn't really getting any enjoyment from writing it. My other fic I very much enjoyed writing but I could not find the time to.**

 **This fanfiction will be regularly updated, I promise. I'm enjoying writing it in any spare time I can find, and I will make sure it is the only one I write, rather than trying to write 2 at once. It got very confusing.**

 **If you enjoy it, please leave a review, I would love to know where people would like this story to go.**

* * *

Context

200 years ago, war began to rage across Hoenn. Then, the war spread to Kanto. Then Johto. Then Sinnoh. But the war was not between the regions. People were at war with themselves. The population of Hoenn had been restless for many years beforehand, with Pokémon battles turning violent more often than not and a general distrust of gym leaders spreading from mouth to mouth slowly but surely, causing a tension to build up like nobody had ever seen before. Then, there was the worst problem; the types. Every human being has a 'type', just like Pokemon do. The types were able to manipulate different elements, and some were more powerful than others. Legends told of water types that could part oceans and walk on the waves, and of fire types that could wield fireballs at their own will, or earth types that could create their own ground to walk on.

In the year 2013, two years before the war, the types began to segregate themselves. Fire types migrated to one area of the region, and while other types still lived there, they were eventually forced away due to the pressure. Other types soon followed, until the region of Hoenn was completely divided. The leaders of the region could not have been less prepared for such a challenge, and could not think of a way to settle the rising tensions between the different cities and towns. It was 2015 when fire and water came forward together, each declaring that they were the most powerful, and therefore should rule. The fights started out small. Gang fights in streets and Pokémon battles that ended in fights over power. Then they started to grow. Entire cities began to attack each other. Even types that had not gotten themselves involved found themselves stuck in between and picked sides. That was when fire and water declared official war on each other, and the other regions followed in Hoenn's footsteps, with all fire types across the earth at war with all water types.

War raged across the earth for 4 painful years, and it seemed to everyone that it would never end. Stronger humans were using their elements in a negative way, flooding towns or setting fire to buildings, even electric types developed a tactic in which they would cut the power to important buildings to force others out. The majority of humans were not involved, however. Around 500 people were the ones fighting. Only the strongest of the types would fight, but no one could stand against them. No one dared. World leaders had not gotten themselves involved. Instead, they desperately tried to think of a way they could stop this war.

After 4 years, they finally thought of a way. And, in 2019, the world changed forever. The world leaders began to gather neutral men and women from across the world that were against the fighting and created an army, bigger than anyone had expected, of a range of types that believed the world was a better place when everyone could work together. They suited up the army. City by city, armies were sent in to capture the strongest of the elements, and they were gathered in Kanto, just off Vermillion city, in the biggest building that had ever been seen across the planet. The building had no windows, and the only outdoors area was 100 or so acres of land, walled off securely, with a lake and woods but nothing else. This was their little bit of freedom. Each human had their own bedroom. The building had all the amenities needed, and more. There was just one catch. They couldn't leave. The only way to leave the place was to win.

Over the 4 years of the war, the world leaders had thought of a way that the types could express themselves without fighting, a way to let out their emotions and prove their power. Pokémon battles. It was such a simple answer, staring them in the face.

Each human had one Pokémon only. Every year, there was a competition. The winner would be set free into the real world. Everyone else could try again next year. The majority of the 500 would pass away without ever seeing the rest of the world again, but the war stopped. Cities and towns were desegregated again and the types lived in harmony with one another once more. But it didn't stop there.

Everyone continued to be terrified of the strongest human beings. They were snatched away from their parents at birth and placed into the 'arena', as it began to be called. The arena was flooded with guards around the rooms and various buildings. Then the arena began to be televised, after leaders discovered they could make a profit from their already corrupt system. Every year the competition would be broadcast live, and the best humans would compete each year, around 15 of the 2500 or so that were there. They soon discovered that it was a hit. The few who acknowledged how corrupt it was could do nothing to stop it, or they would be thrown in too, or worse. And so it continued…

2219

In the garden, a Pidgeot had been spotted. Or so they said. May didn't care much for rumours. She knew they were the only thing that kept people excited, but she did not care for them herself. All of her 'excitement' came from sitting by the lake, with her feet submerged in the water, where she could forget the situation she was in and where she was. She would throw her head back and let the sun beat down on her, and with her eyes closed she would hum to herself, basking in the peace and serenity that was only granted when she paid her daily visit at a time she had found no one else was there. And so, perhaps she would see the Pidgeot there today on her daily visit.

At 2pm, the drone came by to check she was still present. This happened every day at 2pm. Every person would have to be in their room, standing by their bed, waiting to be counted. Like sheep. May stood uniform, her hair loose, falling around her face. She wore the outfit everyone had to wear, a tight body suit laced with different technology, and a tracker. The suit colours depended on what type you were. May's suit was deep red and black, the suit of a fire type.

Once the drone had flown from her room and onto the next, May reached for the small backpack lying on her bedside table. She had found that hardly anyone bothered to make the trek to the lake just after 2pm. Most people could not be bothered to leave again once they had been called in, and for at least an hour the majority of people would be in the various different rooms, playing sports, or battling one another. May would walk to the lake, and nobody would be there but her, just as it had been every day for many years.

Hardly anyone paid her any attention as she left. She had a small group of close friends in the arena, but they would meet at 7pm almost every night, perhaps to battle or to watch a movie in one of the lounges. She had plenty of free time in which she did not know where they were, and they did not know where she was. She liked the peace.

Today, May took the route to the lake through the woods, rather than across the field. It took a little longer, but there was less chance of seeing someone that had the same idea as her, or was just wandering. She moved quickly down the track through them, uninterested in the trees and the flowers. She knew this place like the back of her hand, there was nothing new to look at.

At 2:32pm, May reached the end of the track, where the trees stopped. She could see the lake through the gap in them, and emerged into the open space. She took the bag from her back and threw it down onto the ground, her standard routine, and prepared to sit down by the water, when she spotted someone else, perhaps 50 feet from her. She stood, staring, blinking, for she had not seen this person before. Then, she turned and sat down, thinking no more of it. Of the 2239 people currently living in the arena, she would struggle to recognise 300 of them. She would try to ignore the person and get her peace time for the day.

She sat, and sighed, leaning on her arms, putting her head back, and tried to relax. She tried to shut down her brain, but today it was too awake. She put her head forward again and turned to face the person again. She found herself staring across, inspecting them. He was around her age perhaps, with raven black hair, but his eyes were closed. She could not see his face properly for the distance and his position. His suit was royal blue and black, revealing that he was a water type. Even after 200 years, water and fire types rarely interacted with one another inside the arena. Friendships between them did not exist. They were prohibited, in fact. If a fire and a water type were seen to be interacting, other people of their type would attack them until they no longer could see each other. May had seen it happen in her time. It was not an official rule enforced by the guards, but they did nothing to stop everyone else enforcing it amongst themselves. Water and fire remained enemies.

And yet, May was fascinated. May wanted to know more about water types, about why she was not allowed to interact with them. Here one was, with no one else around…

She suddenly realised, snapping out of her trance, that he had opened his eyes and turned to face her, and was staring right back, a blank, distant expression on his face. She started, looking down in embarrassment, her cheeks flushing as red as her suit. She figured he would look away again once she stopped staring and simply think she was weird, but May had a strange feeling. She could feel his eyes on her. She continued to look down at the ground, but she could not help feeling that he was still watching her. Cautiously, she raised her eyes and turned her head slowly, and their eyes met again. This time, May did not break the contact. Her face twisted in curiosity at the person before her. Their eye contact might have lasted minutes before she started to move. She began to push herself up, too intrigued by this other person not to approach him. As she did, he raised up too, and she realised that he was coming towards her. True excitement, something she had not felt in months, flooded her, and she stood watching him approach, her face showing terror but fascination.

A sudden rustle in the trees grabbed her attention, and someone came racing through the trees. It was Drew. Drew grabbed hold of her hand quite suddenly, before she could realise what was happening, and began to babble at her. When May turned back, the water boy was gone. Disappointment rose in her heart and she sighed.

"May? May?" Drew shook her. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," May turned back towards him, a smile stuck on her face. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"May, how could you forget? Today is the day they announce who's competing in this year's tournament! We're going to miss it so hurry!"

May scrambled for her bag, forgetting all about the water boy, and raced back through the woods holding Drew's hand. Drew's suit was emerald green and black, the suit of a grass type. He was May's best friend in the world. He often annoyed her and she would go some days without seeing him at all, but he was still her best friend and had been for years.

They burst into the main arena just as it began, still hand in hand. People turned to glare as they walked in, but they paid no mind and found the nearest empty seats. May's first instinct was to look around for the water boy, but he was nowhere to be seen around her, and the arena was far too big for her to see the other side. In the middle of the arena on the stage stood the owner of the place. Nobody knew her name. She was wearing a slender black dress, her blond hair falling in curls around her shoulders to her curvy hips. She was a beautiful woman, whoever she was, and people enjoyed seeing her when she came. She began to introduce herself and began the evening, talking of how much had changed in a year, and how excited she was to announce who had been chosen to compete in the tournament this year. Everyone was tense. The names were coming. Of course, May did not expect to hear her own name, and so she was less tense. She was scared for Drew though, who she knew had tried all year to impress people and work his way to the top. On one hand, she desperately wanted him to qualify. On the other, she knew she would be completely lost if he were to get out.

"This year's competitors… are…"

The arena was completely silent.

"Roxanne, of the rock type!" Applause arose from every corner, and people's eyes darted about to see where this girl would emerge. May recognised her, she had seen her plenty before practicing and being a social butterfly. She made her way down onto the stage where the 15 competitors would stand in a line. The same happened for everyone else, until the line was 13 people long. The people were Roxanne, Brock, Winona, Wallace, Volkner, Elesa, Viola, Diantha, Sabrina, Erika, Clair, Brawly and Gardenia. There were only 2 places left. May could feel Drew shaking, and put her hand on his, giving him a gentle squeeze. He turned to face her and looked at her, just for a moment, in a way he had never looked at her before, then turned away. Confused, May looked the other way, and there he was. Water boy. She was sitting on the end of her row, and he was sitting at the beginning of the next, on her right. She was startled by his sudden appearance, and almost missed the last name.

"Drew, of the grass type!"

Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach and she turned away from water boy, who was now standing to face her. The crowd was applauding loudly, all on their feet, all looking in their direction, and it suddenly occurred to her what was happening. Drew stood, his face a mix of terror and elation, and she stood too, to let him out, still in shock. He walked past her, and for a moment she thought he was going to leave without saying goodbye, for this would mean she would not see him for a few days at least while he prepared for the tournament. Then, without warning, he turned, and suddenly his hands were behind her head, and his lips against hers. Sparks flew across her entire body and she closed her eyes, letting him kiss her. And then he was gone, and she was left standing there, completely dazzled and in shock. Before she knew it, everyone was beginning to leave. Just as she left the door, she turned around one last time, and met the eyes of water boy, the curious look still on his face.

May woke the next day with a headache. She lay in bed for longer than she would usually. She had not seen Drew since his name was called. She had sat with her other friends at lunch, thinking about how he was, and what the food at the celebration feast would be like. Her friends talked about nothing but the fact that he had kissed her. They all wanted to know what the pair had been hiding. May had repeatedly told them that it had caught her off guard too, and she wouldn't know anything more until she saw him again. She did not know what her feelings for him were, she told them. She didn't really know what love felt like. She hadn't been able to tell if the sparks were from excitement or her feelings towards him.

By the time she managed to get out of bed, she had missed breakfast. She did not feel like doing much, and so she figured she may as well wait until the drone came past at 2pm, then wander somewhere. She sat for a great length of time, reading, until she couldn't sit any longer, and she made her way to the lounge closest to her in hope that someone she knew would be there.

She walked in cautiously and no one seemed to notice her enter. People were sprawled over sofas, or sitting at tables, perhaps studying or reading. A cluster of people sat around the TV in the corner with snacks and watched some sort of nature documentary. She recognised two people in the room. Water boy and Dawn. May and Dawn had been close friends since they had met when they were 7 years old. She made a beeline for her, but her eyes watched the boy. He was sat with Misty, a girl May knew of but could not speak to as she was a water type too. They were sitting together on a beanie, and Misty lay her head on his chest, looking up to speak to him. He and May made eye contact for a second, then May turned to greet Dawn,

"Hey, Dawn, what's going on?"

"May!" Dawn jumped up. "Hi! Paul and I are just sitting around… I tried to get him to play chess with me but he won't."

Paul rolled his eyes and May gave him a sympathetic smile. Paul was a dark type, and it really showed in his personality, but both she and Dawn were still fond of him, and he let them stick around him. Dawn was an electric type and her bubbly personality made her very hard not to like. May sat down with the two of them on the floor and Dawn began to chat away.

"Hey Dawn," May suddenly interrupted, perhaps 15 minutes after she'd arrived. "Who is that boy over there? The one with Misty."

Dawn gave her a concerned look, and seemed to be searching May for something. May realised that Dawn was worried about why May was concerned about a water type when she was a fire type. She knew Dawn was only concerned for her and what would happen to her.

"I'm only wondering, Dawn, don't worry. It's only because I have never noticed him before and now I've seen him 3 times in 2 days."

"His name is Ash," Dawn started, lowering her voice. "That's really all I know, I've never spoken to him before."

Ash. May looked over at him again. She had started to notice at the ceremony the day before how handsome his face was, but then of course she was distracted. She looked again now, and his face was very attractive. May herself had been crowned beauty queen of the fire types the year before, one of many competitions that happened each year as a way to excite people. It had not happened yet this year, but Dawn was certain May would win it again, always making sure May knew that she was truly beautiful.

It was 1:45. Everyone in the room began to shuffle, turning off the TV, collecting their stuff, arranging to meet in another area once they had been checked.

"Where will you be after 2, May?" Dawn asked. May rarely saw her friends before 2, and had never been asked to meet after the checking. She considered the question for a moment.

"I don't know," she answered, smiling sadly towards Dawn. "I might see you." Then she left, saying nothing else, and Dawn turned to Paul before leaving herself.

"She misses Drew already."

At 2, May was standing uniform again, the same way she did every day, the same way she would every day, thinking about the fact that she was trapped against her own will. It was a thought she very rarely had, and something scarcely talked about. May began to wonder why that was, as she stared at the wall, ignoring the drone that glided in and out of her room. Even after it had left she stood staring, a deep sadness settling in her heart, as she realised that the people she loved might leave one by one, but also that what was happening to her was wrong. She had never felt all of this before, and she knew it was due to Drew being in the tournament. She wondered if he felt the same way, or whether he thought of it as a good system after being picked.

Her brain was on overdrive. She began to wonder why fire and water types hated one another. She began to wonder why everything had to be the way it was, and why they were even trapped at all. She believed everyone in the arena to be a good person. She did not believe any of them were dangerous to society. They were only here for entertainment.

The thoughts infuriated her, and she found herself walking through the woods again, without even taking the time to get her backpack with a book to read. She did not walk calmly through the woods today, she burst through them, pushing stray branches out the way in annoyance. When she came to the end of the woods she jogged a little to get there quicker, and she exploded into the clear. She sat by the water quickly, threw her head into her hands, and began to sob. She could not stop. She didn't understand; couldn't understand. Why her? Why Drew? She could not stop thinking of Drew.

She cried for what seemed like hours in a way she had never cried before. Eventually, the sobs subsided, and she drew her knees in, resting her head on them. She was no happier. Then, she felt something hit her, and jolted upright. On the grass just by her leg, a paper airplane lay. For some reason, she felt caution. She picked it up all the same, unfolding it and reading the note that had been scrawled inside.

 _I couldn't help but notice you were upset. Sorry. I hope you are okay soon._

It was not signed, and she did not recognise the handwriting, but a feeling in the pit of her stomach told her that it was Ash. She immediately sat upright, looking around for him, but he was gone. She jumped up with renewed energy and bolted for the trees. She ran down the path, searching frantically, until she spotted him. He had left the pathway to wander into the trees. She could just see the blue of his suit amongst the foliage. She did not know what her aim was, but she found herself following him, slower now, but catching up, until he heard her, and turned around. Their eyes met. She placed her hand on the tree beside her and stopped moving. He stopped too, and the pair just stared. May felt terror in the pit of her stomach. She had never spoken to a water type. Her whole life it had been hyped up as something forbidden. And now she had this morbid excitement that she could not shift. She wanted to break the rules, but she was afraid to speak.

"Hey," she spoke, quietly, afraid someone would hear. "I'm May."

"Ash."

Hearing him speak sent a shiver down her. She could not help wanting to talk to him. She wanted to know why fire and water types were meant to hate one another. In her heart she knew it wasn't right, and here was the proof. There was no hate here. Only curiosity. In the past 24 hours so much wonder had built up, about who he was, about where he had come from. That, and he had reached out to her.

"Thank you for your note. I just had to say that. It was really nice of you."

He blinked, not saying a word, and walked towards her, until he was just a few feet ahead of her.

"Show me something you can do, with your element."

 _So he is curious too._

May opened her palm and held it out, a flame flickering in the centre of it. It was not a powerful one, just the size of a candle flame, and nowhere near the best she could do, but she did not want to frighten him. He reached out, holding his palm above the flame, feeling the heat of it against his skin. May searched for any emotion in his face as he stared at her flame, but he was remarkable at hiding it. She closed her palm, seizing it away, and he looked at her once more, his face still a mask.

"Do you come here every day?" He asked.

"Yes, every day," May answered quickly. All she felt was this morbid excitement, and a desire to know more about water types.

"Okay." He nodded. With that, he turned away from her, and started to walk away. May stood a moment longer. Tomorrow, she would come back, and she hoped he would be here again.


	2. I Would Be Lost Without You Here

**Hello again. I promised regular updates and I'm trying my best to stick to that so it's currently 1:30am and I have school in the morning. -_-**

 **Anyway, to answer questions;**

 **Contestshipper: I don't know what you mean by 'I erased your review' cause I didn't even know you could do that to be honest, but sorry, it's just to make the story more interesting or more appealing because I know I'm not an Ikarishipper (just an example) myself, but I do enjoy it in a story when it is vs Pearlshipping, which I do support. Anyway if you wanna know so bad you can login and PM me I'd be happy to answer. :)**

 **If you enjoy the chapter please leave a review and:**

 **PLEASE READ NOTE AT THE END**

* * *

Chapter 2

May awoke to the sound of people running past her room. She sat upright slowly, groaning like a zombie. She felt like a zombie. Last night, her brain had been on overdrive. She hadn't been able to shut it down for a single second. It wasn't even that she had been thinking of anything in particular, her brain had just been whirring. Then again, she had thought of Ash more than a few times.

Ash. It had been 5 days since she first encountered him in the woods by the lake. She had been back every day since, but not once had she seen him. The day after she had rushed to the lake to make sure she didn't miss him. She sat, waiting patiently, repeating his question about how often she came to the lake over and over in her mind. After an hour, she started to worry. After 2 hours, all hope that he would show up was gone. She had slugged her way back home, her feet dragging, feeling disappointed and curious.

After the second day of him now showing, May began to worry that someone had caught him with her and had done something to him. The worry was quickly erased from her mind when she realised she would have been attacked too, had that been the case.

Now, on the fifth day, she made her mind up. He was avoiding her. It bothered her slightly, especially after he had spent so long staring at her and acting so curious. She figured it was time she moved on and forgot about learning more about water types. Forget about the idea that had crossed her mind a few times that they could prove fire and water types could be friends. The idea that they could change things. _Oh well, the idea was crazy anyway. I only spoke to him once._

The wall lit up suddenly, the time flashing up on it, warning her that breakfast would be served soon. She was to make her way to one of the three dining halls. She and her friends always met in the same one. She had never seen Ash there, so she figured he went to another.

When she arrived at the dining hall, she was one of the first to arrive. She sat at a table alone, waiting for someone she spoke to to arrive. The first to arrive was Dawn, with Paul close behind her. Dawn was enthusiastic about something, and May was surprised to see Paul pretending to be interested in what she had to say. She smiled sadly.

The door swung open just as they made their way towards her table, and Drew stepped inside. May bolted upright, knocking her chair backwards to the floor, and ran right past Dawn and Paul, outright ignoring them, and jumped into Drew's arms, throwing her arms around him, almost knocking him backwards. She buried her head into his neck, and ignored his little giggle at her. He put his hand on the back of her head and stroked her hair, letting her hug him. Drew was May's rock here, and he knew just by her reaction that something had happened, and he hadn't been here to comfort her.

"I've missed you so much, May," he said, as she took a step back from him. "I asked them if they would let me come and see you but they were very strict about everything."

May was staring at the wall. Drew squinted, clicking his fingers in front of her face, until she snapped out of her trance. She had only just remember that he had kissed her before he had left days ago. She smiled.

"I missed you too. More than anything."

Drew put his arm around her and pulled her towards him, ruffling her hair playfully with his free hand, and she grinned genuinely for the first time since he had left. He turned her around to walk her towards the table, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw him. She knew it was him before she even turned to look properly. How hadn't she noticed him before? Ash sat opposite Misty, watching her and Drew. The sight of him shocked her. So he was around. She quickly turned away.

"Do the two of you want a table to yourself?" Dawn asked.

"What?" May asked, completely confused.

"I mean, I thought you might, after the other day."

May blushed madly and dropped her head in an attempt to hide it. Drew seemed to remain cool, his arm still around her.

"Yes please, Dawn."

 _Wait, what?_ May looked up to Drew in utter confusion as Dawn moved away, dragging Paul with her, and said nothing. Nerves began to rise in her. She had tried for days to decide whether her feelings for Drew were more than platonic. What if he wanted to know now?

She sat opposite him. More people were flooding into the room now. Ash's table was now full of people that seemed close to him, chatting to him, but she noticed he was still sneaking glances at her. Drew didn't speak for a few minutes. People seemed to be respecting their space; not a single person had tried to sit on their table, that could seat 8 people. She realised this was because everyone in the place would have seen them kiss.

"Dawn spoke to me early this morning. She just found out that the beauty competition is happening this week. She was very upset she didn't find out earlier. She says you are competing whether you like it or not, unfortunately."

May was still stunned. Why had he asked for Dawn to leave them by themselves if he did not have something private to ask her?

"I don't know if I like the idea much."

After last years competition, when May had won, she received a brief wave of popularity, and many love letters. She wasn't that kind of person.

"Yes, me neither," Drew said, now following May's gaze towards Ash's table. "I don't think the love letters would please me much…"

May stayed completely silent. Drew continued to look over at Ash. Dread settled in May's heart. He had seen her looking over. She almost didn't notice the comment he had made.

"Who is that?" Drew asked, a hint of anger in his tone.

"Who?" May asked, staring off at another table as if uninterested.

"Him. Over there, with the black hair. You have been looking at him a lot."

May fought the urge to bite her lip, a nervous habit of hers. "I don't know who you mean. I have never spoken to any of them before."

Drew looked miserable for a brief second, and May felt terrible. She had never lied to Drew before in her life. Drew was like her missing half. Everything she knew, he knew. Until now.

"Don't you want to go up and get some breakfast?" May asked, desperate to change the topic.

"I'm not hungry. You go if you want. I only came this morning to see you."

She felt his leg brush against hers under the table, and he didn't move it. He reached across the table and took her hand, his facial expression not changing as if nothing was strange. He went back to staring towards Ash, who turned to face the two of them, and noticed Drew staring. Drew's face hardened, and he took May's other hand too, squeezing them tightly. Something was happening here that May did not understand.

"I'm going to go," she said suddenly, standing. Drew's hands fell down onto the table.

"Why?"

"I want to speak to Dawn about the contest. She will need to get Elesa to make me a dress for the event. If it's this week I might need to pick something she already has, and I would like to look soon before everything good goes."

Drew stood too now, coming around to her side of the table. Ash was still looking over at them while everyone else at his table laughed amongst themselves and chatted away.

"Okay. I hope you find something beautiful." Drew put his hand under her chin, tilting her face up towards him, and leaned in to kiss her again. May's heart raced, but she was overwhelmed with confusion. What were they now, her and Drew? Still, she closed her eyes and let him kiss her. Everyone in the hall turned to stare. It was uncommon for people to get together here. It rarely happened. Though May and Drew were not exactly together. Or so May thought. She didn't know anymore.

He pulled away, and she reached up to kiss his cheek gently before hurrying away to Dawn's table. Drew turned to make eye contact with Ash once more, then turned and left.

May spent most of the day lying in her bed, reading. Often she would put her book down, though, and stare up at the ceiling, with so many questions circling her mind. At 2pm, the drone came and went, and May did not move. She didn't collect her backpack to make her way to the lake. She simply lay there they way she had before.

At about 4pm, there was a knock at her door. Panic was May's first reaction. Nobody ever knocked on her door. She stood to answer it, but before she could, it opened and Drew slipped inside. May's heart began to race. Boys were not allowed inside girls' rooms. He closed it quietly behind him.

"Did you find something to wear?" He asked calmly, as if nothing was strange about the situation. May stuttered.

"Uh, n-no, I haven't… uh… had a chance to look yet…"

"Oh, I wanted to see what you were going to wear. Never mind."

He was still standing at the door. May hadn't moved either. They stood watching one another, and the atmosphere was strange. May thought that a tension was beginning to grow.

"Dawn told me you didn't speak to her about the contest at all."

May wanted to curl up and never get up again. He had caught her out again. Drew had always been smart. She had no idea what to say.

"Why did you lie to me? She said you left only a minute or so after I did, but you waited to make sure I would definitely be gone."

May was biting her lip now, her arms crossed across her stomach. Drew started to move towards her, and May only wanted to throw her arms around him and apologise sincerely. She only wanted to tell him everything, but she was afraid of how he would react. When she opened her eyes again, he was right in front of her, looking down at her. The pressure was too much.

"I know that boy you caught me looking at," May said quietly, her voice shaking as she came close to tears. "His name is Ash. I saw him down by the lake 6 days ago when I was there. I kept seeing him after that. 5 days ago he saw me crying down by the lake and left me a note saying he hoped I was okay. I followed him and we spoke. Only briefly. I showed him that I could make flames in my palm…"

May was crying now, tears rolling down her cheeky silently.

"I hadn't seen him after that until this morning because he stopped coming to the lake."

Drew's face was less harsh now. He wiped away a tear with his thumb and left his palm on May's cheek. She looked up at him with regret in her eyes.

"What were you crying about?"

"I was afraid… That you were going to get out… And I was in turmoil because I want you to for you… but I would be lost without you here, and-"

May was cut off by Drew. He had pulled her violently towards her, smashing his lips against hers. She stiffened up, until he put his arm around her, resting his hand on the small of her back, reluctantly she closed her eyes. _What is going on?_ Her brain shutdown. Drew continued to kiss her, rubbing her back gently. This kiss was different, holding her against him, pressing her into him in fact. He seemed desperate, and kissed her hard. Suddenly, he was pushing her back onto her bed. Her heart skipped a beat in shock.

He was on top of her now, he had not stopped kissing her. If someone were to walk in now, they would both be locked up. And then his hand was on her waist. She shuddered, feeling complete curiosity, unsure if she wanted to carry on, but not wanting to stop.

Drew pulled away from kissing her, but his hand travelled upwards, until he came to the zip of her suit. "I don't want to leave you," he said, despair in his tone. "It's hard for me too. I want to be here with you."

He began to slide the zip down, and leaned in to kiss her passionately again. The zip slid down past May's chest, but his eyes were closed. It slid past her stomach, and almost passed it, until the sound of the door opening caused Drew to pull away suddenly. May scrambled upwards, pulling her knees up in a desperate attempt to hide her chest. At the door, Ash stood, looking in at them. Horror flooded May's entire body. What was he doing here? Why had he come here? He had seen what was going on. He had saw them breaking several rules.

He moved away and closed the door. Neither of the two moved. May felt entirely shaken up.

Drew opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. May wished she could find words. Eventually, Drew stood, and turned towards May.

"I meant what I said. I don't want to leave you. But whoever that guy is… Whatever the two of you are doing… I want nothing to do with it."

"Nothing is going on Drew, I promise. I told you the truth."

"I'm sorry for coming here… I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, he quickly slid back out into the corridor, leaving May sat by herself, wondering what on earth had just happened. Then her heart dropped. She bolted up, scrambling for the door, and burst into the corridor, her heart racing. She had never quite panicked this much. She was terrified that Ash was going to report her, and then they would have reason to take her away.

There were no guards around, as far as she could see. Many of them would be busy with the training of the competitors for this year. She stood, her legs shaking, and decided to take a massive risk.

"Ash!" she shouted, as loud as her lungs would allow her.

There was no response. She cautiously approached the next corner and peered around, to see him standing there, stopped in his tracks.

"Can we talk?" she whispered, not getting any closer to him.

"Not here," he responded quietly. "Go now. I'll meet you there."

May sighed, feeling relieved, but a new fear settled on her mind. What was she going to say? She had no idea.

Nevertheless, she rushed back to her room, and composed herself. Her hair was messed up from before… She shuddered. She really needed time to think about Drew. Her thoughts were completely clouded over. Once she had fixed her appearance she left her room, locking the door behind her, and looking around just once more, making sure Drew was not watching her.

It was raining outside. It hadn't rained in months. May flinched at the feeling of it on her skin at first, but then welcomed it. She didn't want to use the woodland path to get to the lake but she knew he would, and she wanted to end up in the same place as him. She took the walk slow and steady, afraid he would be just ahead of her and they would be too close. By the time she made it to the lake, it was almost 7pm, and she was soaked with the rain. Her hair stuck to her face and her clothes stuck to her body. She pushed her hair back from her eyes and searched the area for him. It was November, and the sky was dark early. They had no time they had to return by, as there were guards patrolling 24 hours a day, but if she stayed too long she would be walking back by the light of her torch, and she did not like the dark.

He was maybe 200 yards away from her, sitting with his knees drawn up on the banks, somewhat hidden by the reeds. She rushed towards him, her arms crossed across her chest to try and warm herself. She knew Ash would be even colder; fire types were always warmer than others. When she reached him, she was unsure of what to do, until he spoke.

"Can you…" he stopped, trailing off, and seemed to draw his knees up closer to his chest.

She hesitated, but sat down beside him, facing him, feeling safe by the reeds as it would be hard to see them from the other side of the lake, and they were on the quiet side. "Can I what?"

"...Warm me up," he muttered quietly, so quiet she almost didn't hear. She blinked, staring towards him, confused and surprised by his request. She snapped out of her trance and shuffled around, wondering what she could do. No doubt Ash assumed she could warm him up as she was a fire type. She cupped her hands together and closed her eyes, feeling for her power, willing herself to warm him up. She felt her palms begin to warm, and the flames slowly started to flicker. Her eyes snapped open. She looked down at the flames she'd created in her hands. It was bigger than any flame she had ever created. It spat like a fire. She held her hands further towards Ash and he edged cautiously towards her, holding his own hands out above her flames. The two sat in a peaceful silence, a calm silence, a natural silence… It only made May question the feud between fire and water more.

"Are you going to report me?" May finally asked.

Ash's eyes opened and he turned to face her, a content smile hinted on his lips. "No, I won't. I have no reason to. I just have to ask one thing before I promise."

"What is it?"

"Did you really want him there? Drew, I mean, your grass friend… It might seem like a stupid question but there was something off about the way the two of you seemed, and the way he seemed when he stormed out of your room."

"It all happened very quickly… But he wasn't doing anything wrong, he is my best friend."

"Best friends don't do things like that… But okay. I promise I won't report you. But now you have to promise me."

May met his eye contact. He looked stern, his eyebrows furrowed. His face was lit up by her flames, and for a moment she almost forgot to answer.

"Promise you what?"

"That he won't report us."

May hesitated. "Report us for what? We-" She stopped, realising what he meant. It had only just occurred to her. She had been so busy worrying about what she'd caught doing that she forgot he had came to her room, thinking she'd be alone. "Oh. Wait… Why were you coming to see me?"

Ash didn't answer. He bit his lip, but May could not tell if it was from nerves. He did seem a little off, though that smile was still slightly lingering.

"Because it's dangerous."

"What?"

"It's dangerous… I came to see you because it's forbidden… It's risky… I like it. I like the danger."

His last comment sent a shudder all down May's body, even by her fire. It wasn't a cold shudder. It was a shudder of thrill. This was dangerous. This was exciting. It gave her a thrill, knowing she was not meant to be sitting here, talking to this boy. She liked it.

"He won't report us," she answered. "I'll tell him we're not going to speak anymore."

"And are we not?" He asked, somewhat hesitant.

"I would like to… If you would. I… I think that the fighting between fire and water is wrong… I think that we can live in peace and that is the key to us all getting out… to this place no longer existing."

"You mean… if we prove that we can coincide in here… It will prove that we are peaceful, that there's no reason to fight, right?"

May was so pleased that he understood. She had the urge to get excited, to jump up and vent about how wrong she felt this place was, but she did not want to freak him out, and so she sat. They both sat under the night sky, illuminated with a red glow by May's fire, watching one another with a new curiosity that they could not shake in an intimate silence. She didn't want to return home.

"We should be getting back," Ash said, beginning to rise. "It's already dark."

"You're right." May rose too, and then awkwardly wondered whether they were going to go in different directions or if he was going to leave first, and then her.

"I'll walk you back. If you see anyone's light, just split."

May smiled, her fire still glowing, but not as bright now. She had never managed to keep a flame burning for so long. They began to walk, Ash holding a torch and her holding her fire.

"That's crazy, you know," Ash said, a few minutes into their journey. "I mean, how long you can keep that up, and how strong it is. You're really strong. The strongest fire type I have seen here."

May had never thought about her power. She knew she was powerful, as she was in The Arena. Many people outside could not even create a spark, she had heard. She wondered what else she might be able to do.

"It doesn't mean anything, though."

Ash sighed, knowing it was true. Their power really meant nothing here. He had never seen anyone crazy powerful, but there was nothing they could do with their power. They walked again in silence for the majority of the journey back, until they exited the woods, and emerged onto the field.

"What Pokémon do you have?" Ash suddenly asked.

"Blaziken." May's Blaziken was amazing. It was gigantic compared to other Blaziken's people owned, and had an amazing red glow about it all the time. May had never been into battling though. From a young age she had given up on getting out of this place. She accepted the fact that she was trapped. "What about you?"

"Pikachu."

May raised her eyebrows. "Pikachu? An electric type?"

"Yes."

People very rarely owned Pokémon that were not the same type as them. It was seen as strange to most. May was willing to hear him out.

"I don't believe that people are confined to owning one type of Pokémon just based on their own type. Pikachu and I work great together."

"Huh. If it works…"

They were getting closer to the building now. Soon the lights from it would illuminate them and they would be spotted. May stopped suddenly, and Ash took a few more steps forward before he realised that she had. He turned back to face her.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't… I don't want to go yet," she said. Ash said nothing, just blinked, and she blushed without warning. She dropped her head to try hide her face. "I'm just… I like learning about you… and it's like you said earlier… It's thrilling."

He smiled. It was the first time she had seen him smile. "Perhaps… But we don't want to be caught, and I don't know what your 'best friend' Drew would think about this."

"Will I see you again?"

"You can see me anytime… There's a closet, on the first floor, right by the gym, that no one goes to. It's down a narrow corridor just as you head towards the gym. No one will see you go there. You can leave notes for me there. Do you want to do that?"

May smiled back, lowering her eyes. "Yes, yes that sounds okay… I will leave one in the mornings. So you know when to check."

"9am I'll check," he said. "I'm going to go back now, don't follow directly and wait a few minutes."

"Okay, Ash."

With that, he headed off, leaving May in the dark, on her own. The fire in her palms had long since burned out, but May still felt warmer than usual in her chest.

* * *

 **So that's it for this week. I have just one question for you guys. Would you like to see any lemon in this fic, or not? I've always wanted to attempt it to see, but I'm not sure if this story is the one for it, or if I should just write a lemon one-shot.**

 **If you would like to see lemon, please let me know in a review, and how far you think I should go with it, what limits I should have, etc. Also if you really don't want to see lemon, let me know that too.**

 **I WILL PUT A POLL UP ON MY PROFILE ALSO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO WRITE A REVIEW.**

 **Thank you :)**


	3. I Don't Want You Getting Hurt

**Guess who's back!**

 **This chapter is a _little_ bit longer than the last two, maybe that makes up for the lack of chapter last week.**

 **So far in the poll it's a tie between two of the options so make sure you vote if you haven't already!**

 **To those concerned about the cheeky Drew scene in the last chapter: Please don't be put off by his character. There will be character development and he will change. :p**

* * *

May woke the next morning with heavy eyes. Her sleep had been patchy- she woke every hour or so. She rolled and tossed in her bed but she couldn't rest. Her brain was active, hundreds of different thoughts swirling around in there. Now she felt like she hadn't slept at all.

It was 8am. Breakfast would be beginning soon, but she did not know if she could face Drew. She dragged herself out of bed, her limbs feeling weak, and slouched over her desk. She picked a pen from the pot on the side and paper from the messy pile.

 _Ash,_

 _I only just realised we never decided how you would reply to these notes. I did not sleep very well, but I will still make the journey later to see you, if you like. You could always just slip a note under my door- just make sure no one is around, obviously._

 _May_

She couldn't think of much else to write, and so she signed the note and folded it nearly, sticking it in her back pocket. She sat then, pondering whether she should attend breakfast or not. The gym was near the dining hall; there was a good chance someone she knew would see her.

Deciding she would attend breakfast after all, she got herself ready and slowly made her way towards the gym. She found the little corridor he had mentioned right away, and on the right of it was a door. She tried the handle, and it gently creaked open. It was just a closet, with shelves, mostly empty, but some with dusty-looking cleaning equipment. May wondered why it had been neglected. It was only a small room, a few feet wide and not much longer. She left the note in plain sight on the first shelf to her right, and left, thinking no more of it.

When she arrived at the dining hall, it was already quite full. Usually the dining hall was quiet until half 9 or later. Today, there were only a few seats free. Everyone was making such a noise, too. May realised immediately that something must have happened, and people were gathering to gossip. She spotted Dawn with Paul amongst a group and made her way to them, trying to catch snippets of conversation as she passed people but failing.

"What's going on?" she asked immediately when she reached Dawn.

"May! You won't believe it!"

"What, Dawn?"

Dawn paused, her facial expression changing. She looked in distress. Dawn rarely looked anything but happy. "Well… Someone disappeared yesterday. We only just found out now as they were keeping it to themselves but of course their friends noticed and they just announced it… They're missing, as of the night before last."

"Seriously? Do you think they escaped?"

"I did think that, until this morning… Someone else is gone. Not seen since lunch yesterday by any of their friends, they went to check their room and they weren't there…"

A shudder ran down May's spine. She didn't know what to think. Did she believe all of this? If it was true, what were they going to do about it? Was someone kidnapping people? Where were they?

"Someone is most certainly kidnapping people," Paul spoke. "I wouldn't leave the building today. I wouldn't even go anywhere myself, unless you're in your room with the door locked. I'm not even kidding."

May's first thought was that she would stick with Ash, and so she wouldn't be on her own. She quickly remembered that wasn't allowed, and a deep sadness fell upon her. Not being able to communicate with him whenever bothered her greatly for the first time. She wondered who else she could stick around for so long. There weren't many options she fancied.

"I don't think anyone else will disappear," she said, knowing Dawn and Paul would insist she stayed with them. "I think I'll be fine."

"Nonsense." Dawn crossed her arms. "I'll tell Drew he has to look after you."

"No, Dawn, really, please, I'll be okay, I-"

"May, I don't want to find tomorrow that you're the next. Until this blows over I have to know you're safe."

May quickly realised she had to change the subject or manage to leave before Drew arrived. She didn't dislike him, not at all, but she didn't know if she could face him just yet.

"Hey Dawn, I still haven't been to pick a dress for the cont-"

Dawn's face lit up, and Paul's dropped in horror. She grabbed May's arm excitedly and was already dragging her towards the door, breakfast forgotten about.

"It's so close wow, you need to pick a dress quickly! We need to go to Elesa!"

In a moment, they were out the door, Paul just a few feet behind, and they would spend the next two hours picking through different dresses of all sizes, styles and colour.

By 11, she was thinking of Ash again. She wondered whether he had replied to her note. She had picked a dress. It was ruby to match her type, and strapless. It began at her chest, held up by it, and exploded at the waist into a skirt of lace that billowed out in wild frills, making the skirt look like roses. The back was laced up, and the skirt fell all the way to the floor. She was just waiting for Elesa to make some final touches and pack the dress up for her to take it away. She loved the dress, but she was feeling restless. She wanted to get back to her room to check if there had been a note slipped under her door.

When the dress was packed, she left. Luckily, Dawn had forgotten about her needing to be with someone at all times, and let May walk back to her room alone, while she went to play video games with Paul. May didn't think about the danger once while she was alone. It didn't concern her much yet.

When she pushed open the door, it was the first thing she noticed. She lay the dress down gently on her bed and picked it up, unfolding it. It was not as neatly folded as hers had been, and his handwriting was still a little messy, but she smiled.

 _I heard girls are going missing. I don't think it's a good idea for you to come out. I will see you when this all blows over, promise. I don't want you getting hurt._

 _Ash._

'I don't want you getting hurt'... May knew he had only written this in politeness and to convince her not to go seeking him, but something about that line made her feel strange. She folded the note back up and proceeded to hang her dress up on a hook on the back of her door. The contest was in just a couple of days now. May wasn't excited for it like Dawn was. She knew Dawn would arrive early that morning to fix May up, help her get her dress on and prep her, just as she did last year when May won.

A knock on her door startled May. She scrambled for the note and shoved it messily under her pillow, and called for the person to enter.

To her surprise, it was only Dawn again. Behind her was someone new, however- someone May did not recognise. Dawn grinned sheepishly.

"May, this is Serena. She cuts hair. I thought it was a good time to cut yours… It's very long at the sides now, and you need some kind of accessory.

May turned to face herself in the mirror. She had neglected her hair since she had won the contest last year. It fell down her shoulders now, where it had once been in a bob that ended before her shoulders. She never wore anything in her hair anymore. It was a bit of a mess.

Serena introduced herself. She was a beautiful blonde, a little taller than May and wearing a pink suit, meaning she was a fairy type. Fairy types were always had a magical feel about them, and Serena was no exception. There seemed to be a glow about her that almost made May jealous. It was as if Serena was radiating peacefulness. May instantly trusted her.

Serena had brought her things with her in a little bag. May spent half an hour in the seat in front of her dressing table, watching Serena transform her hair. Her hair now framed her face, and was shorter, and neater. She looked even more beautiful than before. Serena reached into her bag and pulled out a cherry coloured tie. She slowly reached around and tied it around May's hair, perfecting the bow at the front. Dawn squealed behind her.

"That suits you so much!"

May smiled, a little embarrassed, but didn't turn away from her reflection. She looked so different from just a small change. She decided she would keep the tie instantly.

Serena handed May a bow. It was the same shade of red as her hair tie.

"Wear this with your dress on the day." She smiled. May placed the bow right beside her mirror so she wouldn't forget to wear it. Not that Dawn would let her.

"Thank you so much, Serena. This is amazing."

"Not a problem!" Serena winked and gathered her things. May looked at herself once more, and began to wonder why her first instinct was the wonder what Ash would think about it.

After 2, May left immediately, ignoring the warnings she'd gotten from Dawn and Ash. Her reasoning was that if she left while it was still light, she should be fine, and that she would be back before dark. She took the long way across fields and sports pitches, where people would see her, so there was less chance of her being taken. She did all of this only because she wanted to reduce the chances of people being mad if they saw her out. The problem was, hardly anyone was out, because of the danger. May did start to feel uneasy towards the end of her journey, and began to run, until the lake was in sight. By now, she could see no one but herself. She slowed down only when she reached the water, and headed towards the tall grass where Ash always sat. She could not see if he was there from her position. She prayed he was so she would feel safe.

She jogged past the reeds. When she finally could see where they had sat just yesterday, she saw him lying there. Relief flooded her and she quietly walked towards him. He had his eyes closed. May kicked at the grass a little to check for a reaction. He didn't give one. He was sleeping.

May kneeled by his head and bent her own head over his from behind and began to blow softly on his nose. Just as expected, his nose began to twitch, until his eyes opened groggily. He was greeted by an upside down May grinning at him. He almost jumped out of his skin.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He said, sitting up and rubbing his head. May grinned some more in response. "I knew you wouldn't listen to my warning."

"Sorry." May frowned, still kneeling next to him. "I know it's bad."

"It's fine… Just as long as you're here."

May pushed herself up so she could move closer to him. As she did, she lost her footing, and slipped forward, but felt Ash's arm grab her, supporting her until she regained balance. Then she froze quite suddenly. He was touching her. A water type was touching a fire type. That was the worst of all, according to everyone else, and this was the first contact they'd had.

"Shit. Sorry. I'm sorry." Ash pulled his hand away, looking ashamed. May quickly snapped out of it.

"No, no, it's not that, it's just everyone makes a big deal about it but honestly… it didn't feel any different. It just felt normal."

They sat in silence for a moment, but Ash seemed restless.

"Your hair… it's very nice," he eventually said quietly. "I like it."

May felt her cheeks grow hot from his compliment. She had forgotten all about her new hair in her excitement. She forced herself to stay calm.

"Thank you. Serena did it. It was Dawn's idea, for the contest."

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed suddenly, his jaw open with shock.

"What?" she asked, concerned.

"You won it last year! I remember now! Wow."

May felt her cheeks getting warm again, but this time she didn't understand why. Ash seemed to be mesmerised by her for a moment, or by this new discovery he had made.

"You know 300 people competed in that. That's super impressive."

The fact that May won based on her looks made the conversation strange for her. In a way, he was complimenting her. She wondered whether he meant to compliment her or not.

"Well Dawn has convinced me to compete again this year."

"You'll win."

He said it so calmly, like it was nothing, but it meant a great deal to her. Was he meaning to compliment her like this? She smiled sheepishly and fiddled with her hair tie nervously.

"Hey, can you get that little flame in your hand again?"

Curiously she held out her hand and willed the flame to flicker. Once it did, Ash shuffled closer, watching it. Suddenly, he held out his arm towards the lake, then moved it upwards in a strange way. May watched in awe as a stream of water followed his movement. It was only a small stream, but she had never seen anything like it before. She stared as he directed it towards her hand, and it sprayed onto her fire, putting it out. She clenched her fist, feeling the water in her palm. She found herself smiling like a goof.

"That's impressive!"

Ash laughed. "It's not that great, we've just never seen anything like each other before."

"Show me more!"

They giggled together as Ash created strange patterns on the surface of the water and lifted some up, spraying May with it. Unable to retaliate with her powers, she removed her boots and jumped into the shallow part of the lake, splashing him back by surprise. The two of them played around for the next fifteen minutes like that, forgetting the risk of being seen, until May ran out of the water and he chased her, knocking her to the ground and tickling her. May laughed so loud anyone nearby would have heard her, until she managed to knock him off, and then sat up, exhausted and wet from being in the water.

"Looks like fire and water are equal after all," Ash laughed. It was a joke, May knew, but it was also very true. If they could get along this well, something was wrong with the idea that they had to be enemies.

"I hate that we can't speak to each other except when we're alone. I want to be friends with you."

"We are friends." Ash sat beside her. "We're just as much friends as anyone else here, don't forget that."

May smiled. For a brief moment, Ash put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed to reassure her. May's face warmed again. She cursed herself and turned away.

"I gotta go now," Ash said suddenly. He stood, and offered his hand to her. She took it and he helped her up. "I'm meeting someone soon. I think it's too light for us to walk home together but I'm going to walk where I can see you just in case."

"Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better. You can see me here tomorrow, if you want to."

"I'll most likely be here yeah, but you'll know before then anyway." He smiled, looking down at her. "So you go first. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

May said goodbye and began to walk away from him, aware of his eyes on her. She wasn't sure where he was, but she knew he was watching over her, and so she felt safe enough to walk in the open where it was quiet. She walked only five minutes when she heard someone running towards her and jumped.

"May! There you are!" It was Drew. He was out of breath, and had never looked so scared in his life. "Jesus, May, haven't you heard what's been going on? And you're out here alone? I was so worried about you when you weren't in your room or with Dawn."

"Sorry, Drew," May said, all the time aware that Ash was watching from somewhere. Probably the forest she'd been walking by. "I'm honestly safe though. I promise."

"Paul told me he had told you to stay indoors… Is there a reason you came out anyway, May? What's going on?"

May looked distressed. She loved Drew endlessly, but she didn't like this new side of him she had seen the past week. She didn't hate it, she knew he was only expressing some feelings for her that she hadn't known were present, but she didn't understand it, and she didn't understand how she felt.

"Nothing's going on, Drew."

Drew looked annoyed now, his arms crossed. "Why are you lying to me, May? This isn't like you at all."

"If you think that then maybe you don't know me at all!" May snapped suddenly, tears pricking in the corners of her eyes. Drew was taken aback.

"Maybe I don't want to know this side of you! This lying, secretive side, it's most definitely your worse side. You're changing, and not for the better," he snapped back, and May's bottom lip began to tremble. She turned away and ran for the trees, not really caring where she ended up. Drew had always been her best friend. Her rock. How could he treat her this way? Who was she to turn to now? She heard him following her and stopped in front of a tree. Drew slowed too, approaching her with a sorry look on his face.

"May? May, I'm really sorry… Please come here…"

Just as he reached her and put his arm out to hold her, his arm was pushed away, and Ash was in front of her, his face twisted with anger. May wished she could close her eyes and wake up the next day, without having to deal with this horrible, horrible situation that had just unfolded.

"You don't touch her."

Drew seemed to be too in shock to react. He stared at May over Ash's shoulder and she found herself shrinking behind him, wanting his protection.

"What's going on here?"

"May is my friend, and so I'm protecting her," Ash answered before May could say a word.

"May is my best friend, I don't think there's anything to protect her from, so move along."

"No."

Drew and Ash stared at each other. Neither wanted to back down. May knew she had to say something. May knew which side she supported. It took all her willpower to force herself to say something.

"Drew, please…" she started, "Go."

Drew finally turned to face her instead, and now seemed more hurt than anything. She didn't want to hurt him, but she saw no other way.

"He's a water type, May. What are you doing?" His voice was calm now. It sounded tired, almost drained.

"Types don't make a difference, Drew. People are people. That's something I've learned from talking to him."

"You're going to get yourself in trouble. Come on. I care about you, May."

"I know you do." May smiled slightly, trying to be calm. "That's why you have to do this for me. Don't tell anyone."

Drew seemed to have completely calmed down. He sagged slightly, looking defeated, and backed up away from Ash a little. "Okay. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, you'll see me later."

He turned away from them and walked away, leaving the two of them there.

"Thank you, Ash. I appreciate you helping me, especially when we could have been seen."

"No problem… are you okay now?" he asked. May nodded. "I'll still watch you, but let me go out first, so Drew gets a head start from you."

Ash left her then, and she waited almost a minute to leave herself. She dragged her feet on the grass, thinking about a million things at once. She did want to be Ash's friend, he seemed friendly, but it was very dangerous, and it was not like she had no friends. She sighed, and almost decided to sit down, when she noticed someone run out of the building in her direction, their arms outstretched. May recognised her ginger hair, her blue suit, the red clip she kept in her hair, her beautiful freckles. Misty. She was running towards Ash.

"You're late! I thought maybe you'd gotten into trouble and I was worrying about you, silly." She took his hand in her excitedly and then leaned up to plant a kiss on his cheek. May watched on, her heart sinking just a little. _So she must be his girlfriend._

As Ash walked away, Misty muttering on endlessly in his ear, he turned back to look at her, and the two of them caught each other's eye. She lowered her head, stuck her hands in her pockets, and began to walk again, and didn't look up again until she was back in her own room, alone.

Two days later, she lay, the exact same way she did that night, in bed in the morning, with her knees drawn up to her chest. It was the day of the contest. Her dress hung there on it's peg. She knew she had to go to breakfast or Dawn would come knocking and make a fuss. Dragging herself out of bed, she grabbed her hair tie, pulled on her suit, and got herself ready to face everyone.

She hadn't been outside in the two days. Another person had been taken, but that wasn't the main reason.

Breakfast passed without much action. Dawn rabbited on about the contest while Drew and Paul ate in silence. Serena watched Dawn in awe. Serena had joined them a few days ago and seemed to come back every day now. May didn't mind; she liked Serena.

When they were finished, Dawn rushed May to her room with Serena following behind. Dawn sat her down in the chair. Serena was instantly behind her, pulling her hair back and brushing it gently with the hairbrush while Dawn put a small amount of makeup on her. Serena brushed May's hair several times and clipped the bow on the side. Some hair still fell down the sides of her face, framing it.

The dress fit her perfectly. When Dawn turned around to see her friend, she squealed with happiness.

"You're going to win! You have to!"

May smiled sheepishly, as Serena was only staring with an open mouth at her. She wasn't used to exposing so much skin, even if it was just her shoulders. It made her feel kind of bare. All the same, she would go out in an hour to the stage and present herself, and then 300 others would come after.

The half hour passed so slow, May wondered if time had stopped. When the time arrived for the contestants to gather backstage, May left, accompanied by Dawn and Serena. Her room was fairly close to the stage, it only took them 5 minutes to walk there. As they started to get close, there was already over a hundred people crowding into the same arena that the battle contestants had been announced in. May's heart began to flutter in her chest, even when Dawn placed her hand on her arm to calm her. Other girls were entering the backstage, so May headed down there. When they reached the door, she turned, and Dawn hugged her so hard she felt as though she'd squeeze the life out of her. Dawn wasn't allowed backstage with everyone else.

"Good luck, May. Don't forget to tell Blaziken to smile." Dawn winked at her and ran back up the stairs they'd come down. As May watched Dawn leave, out the corner of her eye she saw someone familiar.

Ash. He hadn't seen her. He was with Misty. Misty was dressed, with her hair down, in a short blue dress that reached her knees and was also strapless. It was embellished with hundreds of jewels on the upper half, and then exploded into a skater skirt of silk.

May shuddered, and looked away, moving quickly into the room, and turning just in time to miss Misty pulling Ash into a tight hug and planting another kiss on his cheek.

It was warm inside the room with everyone's body heat. People had released their Pokemon, if they were to use them to help their performance. May had held onto Blaziken's pokeball tightly all the way there, and now she threw it up, releasing him. He stretched and yawned, looking as grim as ever, and gave May an approving nod at her dress. May smiled at him, her greatest companion, and desperately tried not to think about Misty. She tried desperately not to think about how much she wished she could have gone to Ash for luck when she saw him there, and how that was forbidden.

May had to remind herself to smile before she went out. She had ended up being one of the last contestants, and had sat for hours watching other girls go out. Some would just walk elegantly, waving; others would make some sort of extravagant entrance with their Pokemon. Misty hadn't been yet. Then they called for May.

Blaziken stood by the entrance to the stage just out of sight with May behind him. When he heard her name, he lifted her onto his shoulder, and she sat, her legs dangling, as he jumped out onto stage. 1900 people were now watching them, and the number repeated itself over and over in May's mind. Still, she carried on. Once Blaziken landed, May leaped off his shoulder, landing neatly in front, and instantly twirled, her hair flying around her. Blaziken took her hand and she lifted her arm. He twirled her around as if they were dancing. May had figured a little dance routine would be something new for people to see. But, as she twirled, she thought of Ash in the crowd. Her heart started to race in a strange way, and she felt her chest beginning to feel light. She strained, focusing on the feeling, and flames erupted around her. Blaziken dropped her hand in surprise and May lifted her own arm, spinning and swirling her hand, making the flames dance around her. She twirled a few times, then brought her hands to her chest and clapped them together, and the flames exploded into sparks around her, lighting the air up. She stood, heaving, totally exhausted and in shock, as the crowd erupted into cheers.

She bowed quickly and rushed back into the backstage area to pass out.

When she woke, Dawn was beside her, holding a damp cloth to her forehead.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake. I was worried about you, you had been burning up a little."

May blinked a few times and noticed she was still backstage, and the majority of the girls were staring at her. "I'm okay."

"May…" Dawn trailed off, looking stupefied. "What you did in there was so amazing. I've never seen anything like that in my life. That was the strongest expression of an element I've ever heard of from any human being."

May rubbed her head, which throbbed slightly. "I really don't know how I did it. What's going on now?"

"You missed the rest of the performances, they're announcing the winner in just a minute. Are you okay to go back out with everyone else?"

"I'm fine," May lied, and stood, trying to get rid of the dizziness before she had to go back out. She almost spoke again when the announcer asked them to all be present on stage. They filed out, all 300 of them, and stood in neat lines across the stage. In front of them all, on a podium, was the blonde, tall lady that owned this place, surrounded by 4 guards.

"First of all…" her voice boomed across the whole arena. "I would like to give my warmest thanks to all of the wonderful ladies that have taken part tonight. All of the performances we have seen were stunning and entertaining."

The crowd cheered again.

"But now, I will announce the 3 top performers, as voted by the judges."

May kept her eyes to the ground, afraid she would look up and make accidental eye contact with Ash, wherever he may be.

"In no particular order… Misty Waterflower!"

Misty stepped out of the crowd of girls and strode forwards to the blonde lady with a grin on her face. The lady shook her hand and Misty stepped up onto the podium. "Next… Valerie Laverre!"

May refused to look up, even to watch Valerie, in her eccentric pink dress, stumble awkwardly to the podium. She closed her eyes now.

"Last but not least… May Maple!"

May opened her eyes, listening to the mountain of cheers for her. In a trance, she automatically moved towards the podium, shook hands with the lady, and took her place besides Valerie. She looked to the right, and made eye contact with Misty, who instantly turned away from her. The blonde lady pulled out an envelope from her black coat's pocket and pried it open. She slipped the note out and unfolded it, briefly reading the name printed on it.

"And the winner this year is…"

May was certain now that Ash was looking at her. She hadn't looked for him, and she didn't try to now, but somehow she could feel his eyes on her. It made her feel vulnerable, yet safe at the same time. She tried not to focus too hard, as she could feel that strange sensation in her chest again.

"May!"

The blonde lady approached her, a ribbon in her hands, and leaned to pin the ribbon on May's chest. May's mind had pushed the cheering away so that she could barely hear it. She thanked the lady and bowed slowly to the crowd, giving a polite wave in all directions. She called Blaziken out, and he stood, grinning proudly. Once had waved too, he scooped her up in his arm and promptly left the arena with her, sensing something was not right. When they got outside, Blaziken didn't stop. He carried her back towards her room as quickly as he could, and set her down on the floor in front of her door.

"Thank you, Blaziken." She called him back inside his pokeball and reached for the door with her other hand. A wave of dizziness hit her, sending her swaying backwards, and she would have hit her head on the wall if Ash had not caught her. He helped her regain her balance, his hands on her waist, and kept his hands on her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his eyes full of nothing but concern. "What you did was amazing but I could tell right away it took the life out of you."

"I think I just need rest, I'm not… used to doing anything like that, obviously…"

Ash kept one hand on her and pushed the door with the other. He would help her, but he would have to be quick, before people began returning after the ceremony finished officially. He walked her to her bed, and helped her inside, despite her still being in her dress. She lay there silently as he pulled her covers over her and stood, watching her for a moment. Her eyes began to drift closed, even as she fought to keep them open.

"I hope you feel better later, May," he said, smiling, just as she drifted off to sleep. Her eyes closed fully. In her half-consciousness, she swore she felt him gently kiss her forehead before he left.

* * *

 **I should have no problem posting the next chapter next Sunday or before so check it out then. :)**

 **Don't forget to let me know if you have any advice/would like to share what you would like to happen with this story. I'm always happy to read what you think.**


	4. I'm Sorry

**Hi!**

 **I'm so very sorry for not updating in a while. It happened to be my birthday recently, and then I was away, and I had too much going on every weekend to write, and too much schoolwork during the week as it is my final year of college. I should have more free time from now on to write and get chapters up every weekend like I should.**

 **Currently in the poll, the majority of you seem to want to see a lemon in this fic. Since so many others are opposed to it, I will make a chapter that contains nothing important to the storyline, so those who don't want to see the lemon won't have to read the chapter and can just skip over it. It won't be for quite a while anyway, and I won't specify who it will be between.**

 **Remember to let me know what you would like to see happen!**

* * *

She had dreamt of her performance repeatedly throughout the night. She relived the moment she felt it rising in her chest, the power she gained from something, somehow. She felt the flames inside her, around her, everywhere. She felt something else, too, sitting in her heart calmly.

When she woke, she was still in her dress. She couldn't tell if it was night or day from her room and so she stood and walked to the door, pushing it open. She peered around, but could see no one except the guard on her corridor. Still in her dress, she walked in the other direction, knowing she would be told off for not having her suit on. She continued to walk, avoiding guards, until she was by the door, and noticed that it was early morning. The sun was low, low enough that May guessed it was around 6am. She snuck back up to her room to change, knowing she would not be able to sleep again. When she pushed open her bedroom door, she noticed a note on the floor which she had missed before. She unfolded it, slightly hoping it was from Ash.

 _I hope you are feeling better by the time you read this,_

 _If you are any better come see me anytime, we need to talk_

 _Amazing job at the contest by the way_

 _Drew_

May could not help feeling nervous. So he wanted to talk to her. She knew where his room was, it was two floors up from hers. Of course, it was forbidden for girls and boys to be in one another's rooms. May could only hope she could slip past the guard. She quickly pulled off her dress, leaving it on her floor, and changed into her suit and boots. She pulled the bow from her hair, brushed it messily, and shoved in the hair tie, before making her way to his room. One guard saw her on the floor above her own, but luckily decided to ignore her. When she reached Drew's floor, the guard which patrolled was at the other end, walking away from her. She jogged carefully to his door and pushed it open and closed in a second, not bothering to knock. She stopped, pressed against his door, listening to see if the guard had heard and was coming, but it was silent all around. She relaxed.

Drew was sleeping, facing his wall. She approached him, wondering whether it was right to wake him. She had never seen him sleep before, though she had been in his room many times over the years. He was in a plain white shirt, his hair messed all around his face. She gently took hold of his arm and shook him. He didn't wake.

"Drew," she called quietly, pushing his hair from his eyes. "Drew?"

He stirred, turning towards her and groggily opening his eyes. It took a moment for him to recognise her, then he sat upright quickly, blinking hard.

"May? Oh man, what time is it? Did I oversleep?"

"No, it's 6am, I'm very sorry it's just I woke up and saw your note and knew I couldn't sleep again."

Drew was only mildly annoyed that he'd been woken so early. He sighed, sitting up in his bed, and she sat on the other end, facing him, waiting.

"You said we need to talk…"

Drew rubbed his face tiredly. Evidently, he hadn't had time to plan what he wanted to say.

"Yes, I think so… I have to tell you something. But first, you need to explain to me… You're my best friend May, we've been best friends since the moment we met here. You gotta tell me why you're friends with him so I can understand. I want to understand."

May felt relieved already from hearing him say he was willing to try to understand.

"Okay… I met him by the lake, and we were both curious, so I showed him my powers. We met again, and again, and we just clicked. It just… It made me think, why do fire and water types have to hate each other. Why is it forbidden for me to see him unless we're hiding? It makes me sad, Drew, that we get along so well but people tell me it's wrong."

Drew had been listening silently, his face gave away nothing. Now, he had just one question.

"Do you like him?"

"Huh?" May's eyebrows furrowed. "Yes, that's what I mean, we're friends."

"No, May, I mean, do you _like_ him?"

May felt a funny feeling in her chest, and recognised it as the same one she had felt in her the day before, when her powers had exploded. Her face was hot now, and she couldn't hide it. She hadn't even thought about the answer to the question. It had never even crossed her mind over the week.

"No, no, I still don't know him much…"

"I have to tell you something, May, even if it's not the right thing to do I have to get this off my chest."

"What is it?"

He inched closer to her, looking more miserable than he ever had. He had not faced her since their conversation began, but now he faced her.

"I just wanted to tell you that I love you."

Some part of May had known this was coming for a while, but it still hit her hard. Love was not a big part of life in the arena. 99% of the people would not know what it felt like, but May believed Drew was telling the truth. Unfortunately, May was part of the 99%. She knew nothing about love. She knew she cared deeply for Drew, but to say she loved him would be unfair on him. She loved him as a friend, for now. Relationships were not common, and love was not talked about much at all. The majority would never think of it at all.

"I'm sorry, Drew."

"I know, I know you don't feel the same, and that's okay. I can't force you. I want to believe that one day you will, but I don't think that's going to happen now."

"What do you mean?"

"I think you love him, or at least you're starting to. The way you talk about him, with so much life in you… I've never seen it before."

"I-I don't!" May's face was completely flushed. Never before had she thought about loving anyone. She wouldn't know what to look out for. "I don't love him! I just get excited because it's risky and I like that."

"Sure, May." Drew smiled sadly, and pulled her in towards him to put his arm around her shoulder. "Just be sensible for me. I don't want you getting hurt… Especially with Misty."

"Can I ask you something? You don't have to answer."

"Sure."

"What do you feel? Towards me? How do you know you love me?"

"Okay… Well, May, I feel like I want to be around you every second of the day. When I look at you, I have butterflies in my stomach. My heart hurts whenever I think of you. I only want you to be happy and seeing you upset hurts me in a way I've never hurt before. I always have such an urge to hold you. But most of all, I have this feeling across my whole body, mostly in my heart and chest which is so overwhelming and heavy, whenever I think of you or see you or you're with me, because I want you that bad."

May's heart raced a little. That feeling that he described last was very familiar… The same feeling that had sparked her powers the day before, and it was just as she thought of Ash…

May put her head in her hands and rubbed her eyes roughly, scared of the feeling, that was beginning to come back as she thought about it and him.

"What's wrong, May?" Drew asked, squeezing her shoulder.

"That thing that I did yesterday at the contest… I did it because I thought about him and I felt that last feeling you described and it just happened…"

Drew was silently hurting. He could not think of anything to say.

"I will have to stay away for a while," May said suddenly. "It scared me."

"Whatever makes you happy, May. Don't be afraid of it, though. Is it only a little?"

"Yeah." She turned to him. "Except then, it's never really happened except just now and it's nowhere near as bad."

"I see… Don't be afraid of feelings, May. It's okay."

She put her head on his chest and he tightened his grip around her. She felt safe with him, and she liked that. She never wanted to move. Drew lifted his arm. People over 18 were granted a special watch, one which created a hologram of the image it showed. The time floated in the air now, showing it was half 6. May wanted to say something, but she was becoming so tired with feeling so warm and safe, that she fell asleep on his chest.

When she woke for the second time that day, it took her a while to realise where she was and what was going on. The wall was glowing, showing that the time was 8:57, three minutes till breakfast. Then she realised that Drew was behind her, and she had been lying back against him. His arm was resting over her side and his hand on her stomach. They were pressed together. She panicked, jumping out and waking him.

"Damn it, Drew, we fell asleep. It's breakfast time. You have to get up!"

Drew stumbled out and quickly dressed while May faced the wall. He peeked out of his door, but there was no one there. May ran out first, then him behind her, both of them blushing madly, and they made their way down.

In the dining hall, everything seemed normal. Trying to forget about what had happened, May sat at their table, joining Dawn, Paul and Serena. When she sat, they looked uncomfortable, and she could tell.

"Great." She huffed. "What now?"

Dawn was still 17 like May, but Paul had turned 18 months ago. In response to her question, Dawn turned to Paul, and Paul lifted the watch he had. He pressed the screen a few times, until he found what he was looking for, and projected it in the air. May's face dropped in absolute horror and she jumped up, throwing her body over the image, trying to cover it.

The picture had been of her and Drew, spooning.

"Wh-Where did you get that?!"

"Someone is sending it around the whole place. I would be flattered if I were you. Everyone is calling you the power couple of the place. The beauty contest winner and one of the best battlers of the arena. Rumours are spreading."

May glanced at Drew, and saw that he was hurting. He was now going to have to tell everyone that asked that he was not with her, when he wanted to be. She swallowed hard.

"We're not together, Paul."

Paul had looked to Drew to see what his response was, but Drew had taken to staring down at the table and not looking up. The table fell silent and May glanced around the room. Quite a few people had been looking at her. She found Ash's table. Brock, sitting next to Ash, was just lifting his arm as she found them. She knew right away what Brock was going to show him, and winced as the image was projected into the air. The table was whispering about this drama like it was nothing, unaware that Ash even knew May. Ash just seemed to be staring at the photo, not saying anything. May began to feel that strange feeling in her heart again. Then, Ash turned quite suddenly, and their eyes met. He wore the same expression as Drew did. It felt like a kick to May's stomach, but she couldn't figure out why. She longed to go to him, to explain what was happening, but it was forbidden, and it enraged May that she couldn't simply speak to her friend. She began to tremble. The noises in the room seemed to get louder, and she caught snippets of people's conversations about her.

"May?" It was Drew. "Are you alright? May?"

May watched as Misty whispered about her, and took Ash's arm in her own, laughing about how that was going to be them, and May wished more than ever that she could spend more time with him, that she didn't have to keep it a secret. The feeling in her heart was overwhelming now, so much so that it made her head hurt, and the anger shook her.

She stood up, knocking her chair back so forcefully the whole room turned to her. Drew was up instantly beside her, sensing something wasn't right, and tried to grab her, but missed as May launched herself forward, her hands outstretched, and fired a ball of fire at Misty. The flames hurtled towards Misty, but she jumped out of the way, screaming. The room erupted into noise, and people began to run out. People had had physical fights in the Arena before, mostly fire and water types, but never with their powers. Misty had composed herself, and was looking back at May with the same anger in her eyes.

May tried again, launching flames towards the other girl, but Misty dodged again, and threw her body at May, knocking her over. She pinned her arms down, and stared down at her. May lifted her knee and it connected with Misty's stomach, sending her keeling over. She almost jumped for her again, when she felt hands on her arms, dragging her up and backwards. Drew had her held from behind, his arms wrapped around her, fighting against her struggling.

"You…" Misty started, her lip trembling "are dangerous."

Drew dragged her out, and May didn't fight back. The anger was gone, and she was left wondering how she could ever do something like that. The guard glared at her as she was dragged out, but did nothing. It would have been different if it were any other two types against one another, she thought.

When they were finally alone, on the way to her room, Drew spun May to face him and took her face in his hands, looking down at her in pain,

"They're going to take you away from me now. They will take you away to punish you. You have to be strong."

May's heart started to race. She knew what he meant. They punished people that broke rules by placing them in a section below the Arena, where they stayed for days in dark rooms with little food or water. That was their way of keeping people in order. No one wanted to end up down there, and now she had. She cursed herself and tried desperately not to cry. She nodded weakly. He pulled her into his chest and she rested her head on it, needing her friend, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her.

"Do you want me to stay with you? They will most likely take you at 2 when the drones come around…"

"No," May said confidently. "I'll wait here, they might come earlier and I don't want to put up a fight and make it worse. I'll be waiting."

Drew tightened his grip around her one last time then set her free. She took his hand and squeezed it to reassure him, then walked into her room, terrified but ready to face whatever was coming.

Twenty minutes later, just as breakfast ended, there was a light knock at her door. She started, waking from a doze she had fallen into, and trembled as she grabbed for the handle to let them in.

When she opened the door, she was greeted by Ash. He stepped inside, forcing her back, and pushed the door shut beside himself. His face was a mask, but anger radiated from him.

"What was that, May? You do know they're going to take you away now, right? And you know Misty is my friend?"

"I don't know… It was the photograph people had, it made me so angry… Drew and I aren't together, I fell asleep there when I went to speak to him… And she's your friend?"

"Yes? She's my friend."

May had been so sure that Misty was his girlfriend. She felt somewhat relieved, but quickly pushed it out of her mind and cleared her throat. "Yes, I know they'll take me away… I deserve it."

Ash sighed, the anger he held dissipated and replaced with something else. "Your powers are like nothing I've ever seen before. I bet you really scared the guards. I just hope they don't think you're dangerous or a liability and do something to you."

"If push comes to shove, I can always use them."

"Stay strong down there."

May nodded to encourage him that she would be okay. He sighed again, stepping towards her slightly.

"I'll meet you the day you get out, but leave me a note, you know where. They'll be coming for you soon…"

"Yeah…"

They fell silent. May was sure Ash would leave then, but he didn't. He seemed to be thinking deeply about something. Out of nowhere, he moved forward, taking May's hand and pulling her gently towards him, and pulled her in for a hug, his arms wrapped around her back, letting her head lie on him, and rested his chin on her head, sighing. She blushed madly at the feeling of his warmth, and his body against her. She had never expected a hug from him, After a moment of stunned silence, she returned the hug. He tried to pull away, but May's feelings were beginning to overwhelm her, and she clung to him, bringing her arms up to wrap around his neck. He felt her tears begin to stain his shirt.

"May, don't cry… They won't hurt you."

"It's not that," she cried. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

May pulled away slowly, shaking her head. She knew what was wrong. She knew exactly what was wrong.

"You better go, or someone will see us."

Ash was glaring into her eyes, and if she had to guess, she'd say he was searching for something. She would give nothing away. She wiped her eyes and maintained the eye contact, trying her best not to look as worn out as she felt.

"Okay, May. You know where to find me."

With that, Ash left. He slipped out into the corridor silently, and left May alone with her overwhelming sadness. When she had cried, it had been as she felt his warmth around her, and it had hit her. She finally realised, as that strange feeling that triggered her powers had begun to rise again in her chest, what exactly it was, and what caused it. The powers were triggered because the emotion was so strong. And the emotion was her feelings for Ash. May had simply been curious about water types, and eager to feel a thrill, but now it had come to this. May was falling in love with someone she was not allowed to be with, that probably had no feelings for her,

May would have cried again if a bang from the corridor had not caught her attention, causing her heart to race. She had not felt fear like this before. They were coming for her. Now, a loud droning noise began, a sound she had heard before, but couldn't quite place.

She waited. She stood, silently, with her eyes closed, not willing to put up a fight. Nobody came. She waited some more, until her eyes opened again, her eyebrow furrowed, and she reached for her door, slowly pulling it open to peer out. A guard ran past her room suddenly, but paid no attention to May. Another followed. May left her room, forgetting to close the door, and ran after them, hearing commotion nearby.

"Hey!" she shouted, waving her arm at a guard. "Hey, what's going on?!"

Nobody answered her, and so she sprinted down the stairs, almost slipping, and headed for the main doors, where she could see people were gathering, gossiping. Then May realised what the noise had been. It was a helicopter. She panicked, pushing through the crowd, searching for Drew, until she saw him at the front, and craved the safety he offered.

"What's going on?" She called as she pushed her way towards him, and he reached out for her, pulling her under his arm for protection.

"You know the girls everyone thought had been kidnapped? They escaped. They found them."

May was flooded with relief. Almost every guard in the place was out there. She had gotten away with it this time.

"May, you know what that means, right?" Drew asked, turning to her. "There's a breach in the wall. They had to get out somewhere."

As much as the news excited May, she was frightened. She didn't like being trapped here, used and without freedom, but new things scared her. The idea of being free terrified her, she had no idea what it was like. Then, there would always be the fear of being caught again, she wouldn't feel safe ever again.

"Yes… Yes, I suppose there must be."

They stood there, watching the girl that had escaped be taken away again, knowing she would not be seen again for at least a week. They would all be locked inside until the breach in the wall was found, meaning May would have no way to see Ash, and she wouldn't be able to go to the lake. She sunk further into Drew's chest and prayed the week would go away.

The next day, when May made her way down to the doors, they were locked and the shutters were down. She stood there for a moment, daydreaming, then turned and headed towards the gym. She had written a note for Ash. She stopped at the door to the closet and checked one last time that no one was watching her, then slipped inside and turned the light on. She paused, unfolded her note, and read it over one last time.

 _Ash,_

 _They didn't take me away. I hope you see me and think to come check here for a note from me. The guards were too distracted by the return of those girls that had escaped to bother with me._

She stopped reading, her heart sinking into her chest. The past day had been a real wake up call for her. She had watched what happened to people that managed to get away from this place. She had realised that no matter what she did, no matter what she planned, this place would always win. There was no way she could talk to a water type without hiding it, and that was wrong, but she knew she could do nothing about it. One girl could not fight 2000 other people, even with powers like hers. There was nothing she could do.

 _We can't talk anymore. Don't come to see me._

 _May._

She stopped, breathing heavily, tilting her head back in a desperate attempt to stop the tears streaming down her face, and folded the note back up. She placed it on the shelf, as usual, before turning to leave without looking back.

* * *

 **And again I'm so sorry this took so long. I promise it won't be as long next time.**

 **PLEASE READ:**

 **Over the time I haven't been able to write I have been thinking of ideas for my next fic, and if you are interested in either ideas I would really appreciate you either PMing me or writing it in your review so I know which one people are more likely to enjoy.**

 **1\. An amourshipping love/hate fic, where Serena and Ash badly fall out and meet up again years later at a professors wedding.**

 **2\. A harem that I will actually finish containing pokeshipping/advanceshipping/pearlshipping/amourshipping, similar to Their Tangled Love but with more effort put into it -_-**

 **Thank you! Until next time.**


	5. I Don't Doubt You

**Hey there,**

 **sorry about the break again. Being in the final year of school makes it hard to find time to write, but at least I am only writing one fic, so at least I will always be focused on this one!**

 **Sorry this chapter mostly focuses on plot as I wanted to finally introduce the main point of this fic, besides the shipping. Hope you enjoy and feel free to criticise me, I am known for creating plot holes (oops!)**

* * *

Paul's eyes rolled so far back into his skull, they might have disappeared. For the past twenty minutes at least, Dawn had been complaining about the lock in. Being an electric type, she had a lot of energy, and her favourite way to release it was to play sports on the field outside. She wasn't very good, and everyone knew that, but that wasn't what mattered. She hadn't been able to play her sports properly in a week. It had been exactly 7 days since they locked the doors, and they were still locked. Nobody had seen the girls that had escaped since they returned. Rumours had begun to spread that they had been killed for breaking the strictest rule, but May and most of her friends believed that they were being kept and punished.

May pushed her food around on her plate, her chin resting in her other hand. She had begun to lose weight in the past week, and no amount of nagging from Drew could make her eat her meals. He knew he needed to speak to her alone so she could tell her how she was feeling, so he could understand her, but there had been little opportunities with the guards more alert than ever and with the lack of privacy due to everyone being crammed indoors.

On the other side of the room, Ash watched her. He had not eaten much either that day, but he had noticed from a distance that she had not been eating properly, and that she did little speaking. He'd made no effort to contact her since she had left him the note. It hurt him deeply to think about it. He just couldn't understand why she would suddenly do that to him, when he was only trying to care for her and be a good friend. He wished she had explained herself better, but now he would have no chance to ask her. He missed her.

On May's table, Paul finally managed to stop Dawn's complaining long enough to let out what he had been holding in since breakfast began.

"I've been doing some research," he started, but it seemed the only person that listened was Dawn. May continued to stare at her plate, Drew continued to stare at her and Serena looked aloof. He sighed.

"May."

May looked up at him, her eyes looking tired and bored, but said nothing.

"I was thinking about just how strong your powers are, and so I decided to do some digging. I asked around to see if anyone knew of a room that nobody had been into that might be some kind of office. Well, backstage, there's a room that Cynthia comes onto stage from that is always locked."

May seemed slightly more interested now, and sat up to listen to him.

"Then I decided to ask around some more for somebody who knows how to lockpick. I thought there's got to be somebody in this godforsaken place that can pick this lock… and I found a man that could, and he did as soon as I mentioned it out of curiosity, and he says it's her office for sure. Says the room is much bigger than you'd imagine and there's drawers upon drawers of files. Our files. Where we're from."

May was overwhelmed.

"But… Would you want to see that stuff? Wouldn't that just make you feel worse about being stuck here? Knowing who your parents were, wouldn't that feel weird? We don't even know which region we're from…"

"I don't want to see that stuff," he answered. May tilted her head at him in confusion. "I want to see your stuff."

"Wha-"

"Think about it. You're hands down the strongest person here right now, out of all the people. There has to be something about you. There has to be something in that file to explain it."

May agreed. It had never crossed her mind. May had grown up here, and lived here for as long as she could remember, so the thought of where she was from rarely crossed her mind. She had trained herself not to think about it, and was well on her way to convincing herself that this is where she was from- her home. She had already convinced herself that she would never see the outside world. What if seeing those files was too much?

"Yes… Yes, perhaps there would be… I would let you read them, but I don't want to see them myself. How did he manage to get inside with no one seeing him?"

"At night no one visits the stage, of course, so it would be a waste of time to post guards there, especially when the doors are locked." Paul rarely showed excitement, but now his hands were gripping the edge of the table. "He says he will open it for us. So are you in?"

May instinctively turned to Drew, who had perked up a little. He gave a little nod.

"I'm in," she said confidently, turning back to Paul. Paul smirked.

"Good. We have thought of a performance we want to give to everyone but we need time when the stage is free to practice. I think tonight is the perfect time, don't you?"

"I do."

When it reached 9pm, and May was certain no one would be around the stage, she left her room, creeping down the corridor. She feared what they would find in the office. She had always believed if they were to be stuck, it would be better to not know what they were missing.

When she reached the stage, Drew, Dawn and Paul were already there, waiting with an older man, perhaps in his 30s, wearing a blue suit. May kept her head down and said nothing, simply waited for this stranger to unlock the door for them. He did so seamlessly, in a second, and then whisked away as fast as he had unlocked the door, not wanting any more involvement than necessary.

The door swung open, but the room was pitch black. Reluctantly, she took the first steps, and felt along the wall for a light switch, with part of her hoping she wouldn't find one, and they would have to turn back. She was terrified of what the light might reveal in this mysterious room.

Her fingers finally found the cold block mounted on the wall and she flicked the switch quickly before able to stop herself. The lights didn't flicked on, like most in the arena, they simply glared suddenly, and May covered her eyes with her hand, giving them time to adjust, then peered around nervously. The room was almost bare, with only drawers upon drawers circling the room, and a desk at the far end, sitting on which was a plaque reading 'Cynthia'. By the desk was a door, bearing no windows. Her first question would be to ask where that other door lead to.

The drawers were labelled by letter. With her permission, Drew headed for the drawers labelled 'M', and began to wade through for May's file. He was surprisingly calm, and it radiated from him, which calmed May slightly too. Paul had wanted to look at her file for her, but May felt comfortable letting Drew do it. She knew he would be sensible. She stood watching like a hawk for what seemed like hours until he reached in and pulled out a large, brown envelope, with her name printed on the front of it, along with her date of birth and blood group. She began to bite her lip in anxiety and turned away. She heard the rustling of the envelope as Drew carefully slid it open, so not to tear it and leave a trace. She listened to the shuffle as he slid the papers out and threw the envelope down for the moment, then organised them in his hands, ready to read. Then, silence. She waited. She wasn't left waiting long when she heard the papers drop, and one of them slid between her feet on the floor. She turned to him, angry.

"Are you kidding? Someone could have heard that!" She whispered aggressively. "Pick it up!"

Drew frantically gathered the papers, saying nothing, but always staring straight ahead, as if he'd seen a ghost. His heart pounded.

"Well?" Paul asked when he was finished, and staring at the papers once again. "What does it say?"

"May," Drew began, his voice trembling slightly. "Your birthday is in 7 months, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

Drew placed a hand on his forehead and pushed against it, closing his eyes in frustration. He was aware of the others staring at him angrily, their anticipation being dragged out, but he didn't care. They couldn't see that his heart had just fallen to the floor and smashed into a million pieces that would never be gathered again.

"Drew, what is it?" May asked again, and he looked back up at her, his eyes full of pain that made her flinch at the sight.

"The title of your entire document, before I even read it…" He sighed. "Was Princess May."

May's heart jolted against her chest violently.

"Your father is currently the leader of fire. You are the fire princess."

"What?" Dawn was the first to speak, failing to realise that May had turned as pale as the white walls around them. "Why did you ask when her birthday was?"

The trio knew. A rulers child was a rare sight in the arena. Rulers were still chosen based on power, but their children would be taken from them at birth, and taken to the arena, along with all other strong children, until they were 18 and trained. At the age of 18, any child of a ruler would be released, and sent home to their family, so they could train to be the next king or queen. None of them had witnessed it in their time, and now they were looking right at one, the Princess of Hoenn, the Princess of Fire.

May had spent her whole time in the arena convincing herself that she would always be here, so she should never think of the outside, and now she would be the one to leave. The news had hit her like a truck, and she stood, frozen on the spot, her face unreadable.

Paul had finished explaining to Dawn, and her face had twisted in despair, and now she was crying, her face in both of her hands, her wailing echoing around the room. May could not drown out her sobs, even when her own came, and Drew swooped over, taking her up into his arms, allowing her to sob into his chest quietly as he rubbed the small of her back and held her close. His own heart was broken, but he would keep it together long enough to calm May down, and convince her that this was a good thing. He had to be happy for her. He was suddenly more determined than ever to win the competition and battle his way out.

May didn't remember the rest of the night. She had cried for a long time, until she was exhausted, and Drew had lifted her up, and she fell asleep in his arms as he carried her to her room. People watched, those that were still out of their rooms, including Ash. Drew had caught his gaze, and the two stared for a moment, but Drew's look was not an angry one. He could not manage it. His eyes revealed exactly what he was feeling, and Ash knew something was wrong, but could do nothing. She had asked him not to speak to her, and so he would do as he was told, as much as it hurt him.

When she woke again, she felt numb. All cried out from the night before, she could do nothing but lie with a blank stare at her wall. The dress from Elesa was still hanging, unreturned, and she suddenly wished she could go back to that time, when nothing really mattered but winning a stupid beauty contest.

She sat up, scrunching the sheets in her hands, feeling herself getting angry. There was nothing she could do. She would have to leave her friends here.

No. May kept her fists clenched together. She couldn't live outside this place knowing the people she had grown up with were still trapped here. She wouldn't be able to sleep at night, knowing in the morning she would wake, and go downstairs to her family, while her friends were waking to do the same thing every morning; walk to the canteen, wait until 2pm, and bed before 10. She had to find a way to get them out. Sitting in her bed, that one morning, 7 months before her release, May swore to herself that she would find a way out of this place before then, with all of her friends. She would bring this place down. But first, she had to resolve some issues.

When May sat down at her table, she smiled at each one of her friends, catching them off guard. Drew could not have looked more depressed if he tried, but upon receiving her smile seemed to lighten up. She took hold of his hand and squeezed it under the table, reassuring him.

"I think that we should all go to the stage this morning. I have something to talk to you all about."

May had a fantastic mixture of friends. A grass type, an electric type, a dark type and a fairy type, plus herself. If she were to do anything, she would need their help.

"We can walk there together now, then?" Drew asked, looking down at her. She nodded.

"Okay." Paul stood first. "Let's go then."

The 5 of them walked out together. As they left, May turned back and caught sight of Ash, who was watching them leave. He looked away right away, and for a moment a stray thought entered May's mind. She quickly pushed it away. No, not yet.

The group was not chatty as they made their way to the stage- the only place they would receive any privacy. The place echoed as they entered, and made their way onto the stage. It was almost intimidating, even if all the seats were empty. It was the largest part of the building, and it seemed strange when it was so empty.

"Okay." May sighed. "I'm getting out of here in 7 months. I can't do anything about that. But I won't leave without you all."

"What do you mean, May?" Drew asked from her side, where he always seemed to place himself now.

"I mean, now that I've discovered my powers, and why I'm so strong… I want to do something about this place. I want to overthrow it. I want to get you all out."

"How?" Dawn asked, sounding sceptical, but May could see the sparkle of excitement in her eyes. Drew's heart was racing.

"I'm not entirely sure yet… But I need your help. That's why… I need to see if you can use your powers."

Dawn's sparkle suddenly disappeared. "I… I don't have any powers."

May smiled. "You do. I didn't think I had any either, until something sparked it."

"What sparked it?" she asked. May blushed, dropping her head, unsure of how to answer. She was all too aware of Drew's eyes burning into her.

"Just… Emotion. Strong emotions. You need to feel strong emotions."

"Um…"

May spun. It had been Serena that had spoke now, sheepishly raising her voice from the back of the group, where she had stood silently until now.

"I have a power. I learned how to use it a few years ago when I was overcome with extreme loneliness… that was the emotion."

"What kind of power?" Dawn asked in awe. Serena seemed nervous.

"It's embarrassing… I'm not sure how to show you."

"Serena, we won't judge you." May put a hand on her arm. "Whatever it is, you can show us. Anything is helpful."

Serena sighed, and straightened herself up. "Okay," she said quietly. "I'm very sorry, Paul."

Before Paul could respond and express his confusion, Serena twirled lightly around, winking and blew a kiss in Paul's direction. The group watched in confusion as a wisp of pink energy seemed to flow from her to Paul and fade into him. Instantly, Paul's cheeks were red, and he walked towards Serena, reaching out to hold her. She squirmed.

"See! I told you it was embarrassing!"

"What did you do?!" Dawn asked, her tone different from before. May turned to watch her carefully, as she'd caught a hint of something in her tone. Jealousy?

"I charmed him…" Serena said, attempting to push Paul off herself. The scene was ridiculous, Paul would never behave this way, but now he was attempting to kiss her cheek. Dawn bristled.

"You're beautiful, Serena," Paul muttered dreamily and she squealed, pushing him harder.

Before May could react, a spark jolted through the air and struck Paul's arm, snapping him out of his stupor. He grabbed his arm, grunting in pain, and turned to Dawn, who now looked like she'd seen a ghost.

"Did you do that? What just happened?" Paul asked, rubbing his arm.

"Dawn, that's amazing!" May clapped her hands together. "You did that!"

Dawn smiled sheepishly, praying nobody thought why she might have been able to do that just then. May knew, but she wouldn't say anything that would embarrass her friend.

They spent the next hour trying to pry some powers out of Drew and Paul, but with little success. Drew was able to create a small solar beam from his hand, but it was only small and didn't hurt when it came in contact with anyone. May tried to get him to use both hands and push out, but nothing happened. When the hour was over, they were all tired, and Paul started to grow irritated at himself.

"Let's go now," May stated, after Paul had attempted something for the fifth time, and Dawn had comforted him when he mumbled about being useless.

Serena, Dawn, Paul and Drew began to leave, Dawn with her arm linked around Paul's so she could rub his arm which was still sore from her attack.

"Drew," May called. He stopped. "Wait."

The rest of them didn't stop to question her, and left Drew and May alone. May sat, crossing her legs, and he joined her, leaning in towards her.

"Drew, I'm really serious about this."

"I don't doubt you." He nodded.

"No, I-"

May froze at the sound of a door. She swiftly glanced around, but could see nothing, so shrugged it off. From the stalls, Ash watched. He could not hear her, but he could read her expression, and he just needed to know what was going on.

"You might not think 5 of us can do it, but I really think we can. I think once we begin, other people will join. But… There's just one problem."

"What's that?"

"How can we expect everyone to work together to do this when two types won't interact with one another?"

Drew sighed, and his head dropped. May reached out and took his arm, leaning forward to look into his eyes. She took his face in her other hand, pushing it up slightly, keeping her eye contact.

"I know, Drew, I know… But this needs to happen. Water and fire need to get along for this to work. Otherwise we'll always be divided…"

Feeling May's soft hand rubbing against his cheek had made Drew blush, and Ash noticed. Ash decided he thought he knew what was going on here, and he'd had no right to worry at all. Sulkily he bit his lip, feeling bad for intruding on their privacy. He didn't want to watch anymore.

"What are you going to do?" Drew asked, taking hold of the hand she'd placed on his hand and squeezing.

"I don't know yet."

Ash watched as Drew took hold of her hand, and almost turned to leave, when he realised they were doing just that, and Drew had dropped her hand. May wore a steely look on her face, as if she were determined to do something. He watched her push the door open, and turn left, while Drew turned right. His face contorted in confusion. Why would she go left? The only thing down that corridor was… the gym. He bolted up, running down the stalls, and jolted over the bars onto the stage, where he continued to run, until he reached the same door she had just left, and turned the same way she did. At the end of the long, dull corridor, the gym door was shut. The corridor ended there, unless you turned left again, onto a small corridor full of cupboards, which Ash had started to get to know the last week. He walked cautiously down, stepping quietly, and turned left. The old janitor's cupboard door was open just slightly, just enough for some of the light to filter out. Feeling an odd nervousness, he walked towards it, and composed himself, before stepping inside. May whirled around in surprise, almost attacking him, but he grabbed her hand mid-air, stopping it from colliding with him. He felt it go limp in his grasp, and pushed the door shut behind him.

"Ash… I'm so sorry," she said, and he dropped her hand. "I didn't know what else to do."

"Then why have you changed your mind?"

May's sudden reluctance to speak concerned him. He stepped towards her, and she stepped back, her back crashing into the shelves. They were cramped together in such a small space, and it was driving May crazy. There was an unfamiliar feeling in her stomach, like she were floating, and her face burned, as much as she tried to hide it. Her chest was light, but her heart raced.

"I…" she finally began. "I… I read my file."

Ash blinked hard, his expression not changing.

"We went into Cynthia's office… I wanted to know why I had such strong powers… And I found something…"

May's voice had begun to crack. Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes as she thought about leaving again. She couldn't even bear to think about leaving Ash, and she hadn't known him long at all. Though, there was another reason for that.

"What is it, May?" Ash asked her softly.

"I'm a princess. I'm to leave when I turn 18, because I am the fire ruler's daughter."

Ash almost said a million things at once, but took a deep breath, in an attempt to compose himself. In reality, the news hit him like a bullet.

"Okay, okay… So why are you coming here, to leave me a note? To tell me?"

"Yes, but also… I don't want to leave here. I can't leave here and live a normal life knowing the people I care about are left here. I need to get everyone out. My friends and I are trying to learn to use our powers so we can overthrow Cynthia and get out of here, and we think people will follow but… We can't if fire and water types can't get along. I thought… I thought you and I were a good example to show that they can."

"May… It sounds kind of crazy…"

"I know," May said, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I know, but I have to try. I'll die before I leave you here."

Ash's eyes widened in surprise. She had said before she left him here. Him in particular? May blushed as she realised what she had said, but didn't try to take it back. She felt overwhelmed with power as she stood in that cramped space with him, and he reached out, taking her cheek in his hand, rubbing away the tears. She wanted to kiss him so badly.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! Please review if you liked it and don't forget to let me know which of the ideas you like for the next fic. :)**


	6. You're Gonna Be Okay

**Hey guys,**

 **I'm very sorry about how long this chapter took. It's been Christmas and so I've been too busy with family and friends to write this as often as I would like, but I haven't forgotten about it, and here's the next chapter, and I will try to write the next before next Sunday.**

 **Don't forget to let me know what you think about it if you're still here, I appreciate ya.**

* * *

May had collapsed into tears. She collapsed against the shelves behind her and let her body slide down until she reached the floor. Her sobs were not loud, but she shook violently as she sat. She felt Ash leaning beside her, but she she could not see for the tears. She felt his arm around her shoulder and tensed.

"It's gonna be okay," he spoke softly, and she blinked away her tears to stare back into his focused eyes. "You're gonna be okay."

She shook her head weakly. "I'm so afraid. I don't want to be alone."

Ash looked down, and seemed to be deep in thought for a moment. After a second he took a breath and began to move back.

"Come on. We can't stay here. Come on, May, it's gonna be okay."

He spoke softly, coaxing her up, and kept his arm around her until she stood, and let her go. She sobbed silently, still shaking madly. He pushed her hair from her face gently.

"I want you to head towards your corridor, and once you reach the end of it I want you to cry very loudly and make a fuss. The guards will come over to you. Once they do tell them you're okay and go to your room. Can you do that for me, May?" He placed his hands on her shoulders, and she once again thought of how natural it felt when he touched her. She nodded, not questioning him.

She left then, with her body still shaking. She headed for the elevator, and didn't look back. When she reached her floor, she hovered for a moment nervously, then let out a wail. Just as Ash had said, the guards moved towards her, with little speed or concern.

"Are you okay, miss? Would you like to visit the infirmary?" A female guard asked her as her male co worker stood by her. May sobbed a bit more, not answering, then shook her head.

"No thank you, I'll be just fine," May said, wiping her eyes violently. The guard sighed, nodded, and turned to walk back to her post. May hurried away, turning back nervously, until she pushed her way into her room.

Ash sat by her dressing table.

"Wha-"

"It's okay, I came up the other way and came in when they were talking to you, no one saw me."

"Why?" May asked, wiping her eyes with her arm again.

"You said you didn't want to be alone."

May felt a smile tug at her lips, and she dropped her head nervously, half covering her face with her hand. "Thank you." She slowly removed her boots, never taking her eyes off Ash. He had turned away so she could undress. He listened to her unzip her suit as he observed the trinkets she kept at her dressing table. Her hair accesories were neatly collected in a small jewellery box. A stuffed toy sat by her mirror, looking old and worn. Stuck up in the bottom right corner of her mirror was a piece of paper, with large, messy handwriting scrawled across it. The letter read 'To May, you luk nice and your very pretty, can we be freinds? Drew'. He reached out and touched it, realising there was a small collection of letters behind it. In each one, the writing was nicer, and there was more written. All from Drew. He decided he didn't want to read the rest.

May cleared her throat and he turned back around. She had changed into sleeping shorts and a t shirt. For a moment, Ash flinched. Everyone always saw each other in their suits. She sat back against the wall on her bed and drew her knees up. He stayed sitting where he was.

"Don't you ever wonder about what it'd be like if you'd grown up on the outside?" May started. "What your life would have been like? Who you would have met?"

"Not often… I try not to think about all of that. Plus… I can't even imagine what living outside is like."

"You're right, it's hard… if you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? Because the first thought might be that you would want to live normally like most people… but then you would never have met your friends here… and I love my friends, I can't imagine not knowing them."

"If I could change one thing… I would still say that, May. I would still say that I would want to grow up like everyone else."

May paused for a moment. "We would never have met."

"You don't know that." Ash smiled. "Maybe we would have."

"Maybe…" Suddenly, May looked miserable once again. "Maybe… if we had met on the outside, things might have been different. Maybe things would have changed."

Ash looked at her curiously, searching her expression for any hint of what she had meant. As his eyes darted around his face, he spoke gently, almost whispering.

"Maybe they can still change."

May didn't look up to meet his eyes, but her heart skipped a beat in her chest, her eyes widening. _What does he mean by that?_

"You should get some sleep," he spoke again quickly.

"How will you sneak out?" she asked, finally looking up at him, but nervously now.

"I don't think I can… I can sleep here, it's okay."

"On the chair? No, you can't, that'd be so uncomfortable…" She looked around, her heart beginning to race. "Just… come here."

Ash's eyes widened and he looked at her blankly.

"It's alright, we're friends… right?"

"Uh, yeah, right," Ash stuttered. He'd removed his boots already, but he was still in his suit. May crawled under her covers and moved as close to the wall as she could, so they weren't too close together. She had turned to face the wall, and so he turned to face the other wall. She felt the bed shift as he slowly moved in, and then the room fell into silence.

"Your company is really helping, Ash," she said, and clapped to turn her lights off.

"As long as you're okay, May," he said from the darkness, and there was silence again. Ash found it hard to close his eyes. He had never slept next to another human being in his life, and he could feel her body heat behind him. He lay still, begging himself to sleep, but only lay staring out into the darkness. An hour later, he felt himself finally beginning to drift as his exhaustion got the better of him. Just as he almost slipped into sleep, he felt her move beside him in her sleep. She rolled over, moving her legs so that they touched his own. From the silence came a quiet, single sob. He turned quietly to face her as he lay there. He felt his hand brush her arm as he did and blushed. Skin contact was rare in the arena. In the darkness he felt gently for her face and rubbed the few tears away. She didn't move. Confident that she wouldn't wake, he shifted up and forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. With that, he lay back, and managed to sleep right away.

May was thrown out of sleep from shock at a knocking sound. She sat up, rubbing her eyes slowly, still half asleep, and the knocking came again. Her heart dropped. She looked to Ash, whose eyes were slowly opening. In a panic she shook him, and as the third knock came Ash threw himself out and towards her wardrobe. He climbed inside, pulling the doors closed behind him, and May composed herself.

"Come in," she called. Dawn entered, wearing a friendly smile. May could see right through it.

"I have something to tell you," Dawn announced, without greeting her first, and shut the door behind her. "It's important. I'm so sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, no." May fought off her yawns. "I've been awake for quite a while."

"Oh, thank goodness. I know it's early, I just wanted to see you before breakfast, before we s-"

Dawn stopped mid-sentence. May, who had turned to her dressing table to brush her hair, turned back in confusion, until she followed Dawn's gaze to the extra pair of boots sitting by May's door, much too big to be her own. Knowing there was no excuse, she raised her palm to her face and pressed into it, twisting her face. She cursed herself and Ash for being so careless.

"I… I mean, do I want to ask who those belong to? May… Are those Drew's?"

"Oh God, no!" May cried. "They're not Drew's, huh… I…" There was no doubt about it. She had to tell Dawn the truth now. Normally, nothing would be wrong, it would just be two friends sleeping together when one of them was upset. The problem was his type.

"I got upset last night. Someone came to stay with me to keep me company until I was okay. Nothing else happened, I promise."

"Oh, that's alright then May. Who was it, and… where are they now?"

May's heart raced. She closed her eyes and squeezed them tight, wishing she could disappear, but there was no way out now. Reluctantly, she turned to her cupboard knowing Ash would be watching through the gap in the door, and nodded. After a moment, the door slid open, and he stepped out. May couldn't bring herself to look at her friend.

"Hey, Dawn," she heard Ash say, but no response came. Though it pained her, May forced herself to look up, and realised Dawn was looking right at her, and unreadable expression plastered on her frozen face.

"Let me explain to you, Dawn."

"Are you… Are you sleeping with Ash, May?" Dawn asked, her voice trembling. "Are you?"

"No!" May quickly shouted, growing flustered at her friend's awkward accusation. "No, that's not what this is… I'm begging you Dawn, as your friend, to let me explain."

"Okay… Ash, there's no guards on this corridor right now. You should get yourself out of here before they come back."

Ash didn't respond to her. In an instant he was gone, sliding out into the corridor and disappearing back to his room. May took a deep breath.

"Ash and I met a little while ago by the lake, when I was deeply upset by the possibility of Drew leaving us… He reached out to me, and when I responded, there was no hate between us like you would usually see between fire and water types. We had no reason to hate each other. We got along. We started to talk whenever we were alone and we wrote notes to one another. We became friends. Dawn, there's nothing between us that suggests we should fight each other. The whole feud… it's craziness. I… I want to somehow end it. Ash and I, we want to end it.. Or else everyone will be divided when we try to leave this place and it will never work, we need to be united. All of us."

May respected that her friend would need time to think, and silence fell once she had finished her brief explanation. Dawn sighed, wringing her hands together, and spoke softly.

"I was never going to tell anybody or hate you, May, it just shocked me. I believe you and I understand, but I have just one question."

"Anything."

"Is that really all this is about, or is there something else? Rising up against authority requires fire and water to get along, I agree, but is that the only reason you want to convince people to stop the hate between fire and water?"

May stuttered. "I- I don't understand what you're asking me, Dawn."

"Do you have feelings for him, May?"

May opened her mouth to fight, but couldn't. She knew herself the answer, though she knew it wasn't right. There were no recorded relationships between a fire and a water type. It had never happened before, because the hate between them had kept them from ever interacting, and ever having a chance to develop feelings. She prayed her friend would understand.

"Yes, I do."

Dawn didn't speak, and seemed to be thinking for a long while.

"I see now. You've got to be careful, May. You and Ash… you can sort this out, I believe it, but you need to be careful about it."

"That's why I want us to be friends. There's… very little chance he has feelings for me."

Dawn smiled for the first time since she'd seen Ash. "You never know, May. I wouldn't say that."

"Why? What do you mean?"

Dawn's smile only grew wider. "Don't worry about it, May. I have hope."

The next few days passed surprisingly peacefully. Nobody brought up the night they had visited Cynthia's office, and May liked it that way, for she needed space to think about all of her options and plan what she would do next. She'd resumed her note writing to Ash, and had spoke to him once briefly in her room when he came to visit, but they hadn't really seen much of either other. It was hard for May, but she was trying her best to push her feelings aside and focus on her goals. Whenever she would see him, she would look away. When he came to visit her, she tried her best to convince herself that she did not like him much at all. Despite what Dawn had told her, she couldn't believe her, the odds of him having feelings for her too were just too slim.

She and her friends were in the lounge. Paul's watch showed that it was just turning 7pm. They had been playing board games for most of the night with nothing better to do as the rain came down in buckets outside.

"It's time for a new game." Dawn announced as she packed away their last game. They were alone in this lounge, as they had deliberately picked the smallest, knowing the bigger ones would be busy with the rain. They had been able to discuss whether or not they had managed to use their powers over the past two days in peace. A window ran across the wall by the corridor, but no one had walked past or stood outside.

"What now?" Paul asked, trying to sound uninterested but failing.

"We're gonna play spin the bottle!" Dawn announced, finding pleasure in the horrified look that put upon her friends' faces. "We're gonna spin the bottle one at a time, whoever it lands on you ask truth or dare. Either they answer the truth, do the dare, or they have to kiss you, deal?"

May looked around her friends, who were all turning to read each other's expressions. Eventually, Serena shrugged.

"Yeah, sure, why not?"

Dawn leapt up, heading for the vending machine in the corner where she would buy a bottle just to empty the contents out to play. May turned away to talk to Serena, until she heard Dawn again.

"Oh, look, Ash!"

May's heart dropped. _What is she doing?_

Dawn was opening the door to the corridor and calling out to Ash, who had just passed by. Her friends all wore puzzled looks, but her own was one of pure horror. "Come in and play!" Dawn called, and May began to panic. What on earth was Dawn doing? With her heart racing so fast it made her light headed, she turned to Drew, but he was not looking. Ash entered slowly, looking around the group awkwardly but avoiding May. She looked down.

"Hey," Ash greeted them.

"Oh goodness," Dawn said suddenly, placing her hands on her hips. "I forgot, May is a fire type and you're water… Is that a problem, guys?"

It clicked in May's mind what Dawn's motive was. This was a test; a test to find whether their friends would be willing to accept her friendship with Ash. She couldn't bring herself to look up and see their faces. Nobody spoke at first.

"I don't mind, personally," Drew finally spoke, though May could hear the resentment hiding in his tone.

"Nah, just as long as no guards come past, or then we'll have to hide May behind ourselves!" Serena answered. Paul shrugged, which was a good response from Paul. Relief flooded her- her friends were accepting of it. Everything would be so much easier now.

Ash joined their circle on the floor next to Paul, who began to talk to him as Dawn left the room to go to a bathroom and empty the bottle she'd bought. It was clear right away that they got along. All of Paul's friends were currently girls, and this new male was actually getting conversation from him. May watched as they talked, and Ash began to talk to Serena too. The thought of Ash joining her friendship group came to her mind, and it excited her. Then she would see him more, and they would grow to like him, meaning they may be more accepting of any feelings she had for him.

 _No, no, you can't have feelings for him, May. Stop._

Her excitement was gone. Dawn returned with the empty bottle and sat between Paul and May.

"Me first." She placed the bottle in the middle and spun it quite violently. It took a while to slow, and May saw it slow as it reached Serena's side. It continued to spin slightly until it came to a halt pointing at Drew.

Ash had realised he didn't know what they were playing, but he didn't ask. He would figure out as he watched the others. He watched her across the circle, and how she hung her head, looking shy. He smiled, hiding his own face. He liked this. He was so close to her, with others around him, and nobody batted an eyelash. He wondered how they would react if his spin landed on her.

"Okay Drew, truth or dare?"

"Dare."

Dawn smirked. "I dare you to kiss Paul on the cheek!"

"Well you know, it's easier to just not do that one," he chuckled, and Paul scoffed. Drew leaned across the circle to kiss Dawn briefly, and May bristled a little. Though she didn't notice herself, Ash had been watching from the other side. He bit his lip.

May was next, and her spin landed on Paul, who chose truth.

"Alright, Paul," she thought, and it came to her mind quickly. "Who do you have a crush on?"

Serena laughed with a snort. "Classic! You should have seen that one coming."

Paul didn't say anything. His annoyed expression didn't change, but May knew he wasn't annoyed. He was nervous. She smiled and turned to face Dawn briefly. When she turned back, he was beside her, and leaned in to kiss her. When he pulled away, she laughed a little.

"What?" he asked. "I didn't want to answer."

"Yeah, I know, it's just weird to kiss you. Sorry, man." She giggled some more. He shrugged, smirking a little himself.

They continued to play, with Drew next, who dared Dawn to run down the corridor and scream at the top of her lungs, which she did. Serena dared May to lick Dawn's face, which May did. When it came to Ash, it landed on Paul. He was a little disappointed, but dared Paul to write a note on the wall reading 'Dawn + Paul'. Paul gave Ash the briefest of kisses. Paul dared Serena to kiss Dawn, which Serena did. Then, it came to Dawn again. Dawn span the bottle, a little smirk on her face. The bottle landed on Ash, and May watched her friend's eyes light up. Her heart skipped a beat. _Surely she wouldn't do that to me…_

"Truth or dare, Ash?"

 _Truth, truth, please pick truth…_

"Dare."

May's heart raced wildly in her chest and she desperately tried to hide it from her friends, smiling casually at Dawn, who turned to her right after he answered, with a little smile on her lips.

"I dare you to kiss May."

May couldn't bring herself to look across at him. She had seen it coming, but that didn't make it any better. She silently cursed Dawn, though she had played herself, for surely Ash would kiss her instead. She looked up. He was moving towards her. She froze in terror, her cover breaking as the nerves finally showed on her face. He was just an inch in front of her now, and he lingered for just a second that felt like an eternity, looking into her eyes, and she stared curiously back, not saying a word. Then, placing his hand behind her head, he pulled her gently towards him and pressed his lips against hers. Without thinking, May parted her lips slightly, accepting the kiss in a way that she hadn't accepted Paul's earlier, or Drew's weeks ago. The feeling in her chest was stronger than ever, almost overwhelming her completely, and the kiss seemed to last forever. In reality, it was just a second, and she was left alone again, in shock. He had just kissed her… but it was just a game. She resumed her position staring down at the ground.

"You should hang out with us more, Ash!" Dawn exclaimed suddenly, and Serena agreed. Paul gave a little nod in his direction. Ash smiled sheepishly.

"Sure, I will. I gotta go now, though. I'll see you all later."

His surprise departure left May wondering whether it was their kiss that caused him to leave, and whether that meant she had freaked him out by responding to it. It was just a game, usually the friends would just press their lips together briefly, but she had responded. _What have I done?_

Once he was outside, his friends resumed their conversations, forgetting about the game and the fact that a fire and water type had just kissed in front of them. May hadn't thought it possible, but now she loved her friends even more.

The next day, May did not write a note in the morning for Ash. Instead she lay in bed through most of breakfast, planning what she would say to him if he brought up the kiss. Halfway through, she decided she wanted to see her friends, and quickly dressed and ran to the dining hall without putting her hair tie in. When she burst through the doors, her friends looked up from their usual table. Ash was sat next to Paul instead of Dawn. She sighed subtly and looked around cautiously. Ash's friends were on another table. May stood for a moment, thinking deeply. Her friends expected her to turn and walk away. Sitting next to a water type would attract attention. May started to walk towards them.

May knew everyone was aware of her power, and she knew they would stare as she sat right beside a water type, but she wanted them to. She needed somewhere to begin, and so this was the perfect opportunity. She crossed to the other side of the table and took the seat right next to Ash, forgetting about the kiss in her excitement. Her friends looked around nervously, and as May suspected, people were staring, but nobody said a word. She felt triumph, and her lip began to tremble as her eyes threatened to tear up. She was one step closer to being able to be his friend and talk to him whenever she wanted. That was all she wanted for now. After a month of having to write notes and meet him alone, she was sitting beside him, and nobody said a thing. Next, she would try talking to him in front of others. She hoped she would see other people joining in. Her lip continued to tremble as she hung her head and her friends chatted around her. Then, under the table, she felt Ash's hand brush against hers. He took it in his own, slipping his fingers between hers, and she looked up to meet his gaze. She had never seen such a warm smile. He gave her a little nod, and she smiled back, knowing he was showing his happiness that they were being allowed to sit together, even if it was just sitting. He continued to hold her hand under the table for the remainder of breakfast.

In the evening, May had planned to meet her friends in the small lounge again to practice using their powers. Drew had let her know that he would be in the larger lounge with everyone else beforehand, and he would meet her there to walk her to the smaller one at 7. At 6:57pm, May opened the door to the larger lounge and stepped inside. It was full of different groups of people, including Ash's group, with Ash sitting at the back. When he saw her enter he stood. _So he is coming to our meeting…_

Drew was making his way towards her. She leaned against the wall, waiting for him to gather his stuff, until she heard a conversation from a group beside her. They were talking about Ash. One girl whispered to another that Ash and May were a couple, that it was disgusting, and another girl laughed while the others gossiped about it. On the other side of her, May noticed another group having the same conversation. Her heart sank. She couldn't have them think they were a couple. It would make things awkward between herself and Ash, and she needed to take things slower. She needed people to accept them being friends before anything else was even considered. No, she couldn't have them thinking that at all. She pushed away from the wall as Drew approached her, wrapping her arms around him. Surprised, he stood unresponsive for a moment, before hugging her back. She pulled away and leaned up, kissing him lightly but not briefly, knowing people were watching.

Drew pulled away. "May, what are you-"

"Shush," she hissed. "Come on, they'll be waiting for us."

Drew wanted to argue, but he knew people were watching and listening to them now, and so he stayed silent as they walked out together. At the other side of the room, Ash stood frozen in place for a moment before turning and returning to his group, having decided he didn't want to join their meeting anymore.


	7. I Couldn't Possibly Tell You

**Hi all,**

 **sorry about the long-ish wait again. It's hard to write during the last year of school when I have so much work to do. I try my best to write whenever I can, but for now the update pattern is pretty much going to be nonexistent. Sorry!**

 **Enjoy**

* * *

Chapter 7

The rest of the week passed quickly for the group of friends. They spent the majority of their time together which was unusual, but most of the time they would be talking about their plans or if they had progressed at all with their powers. Despite how often they talked and the vast number of different plans suggested, by the end of the week the group still hadn't thought of a solid plan that didn't have a gaping hole in it that would prevent it from working. Even if everyone agreed to her uprising, they would they need to find a way out and would need to kill innocent guards, although Paul frequently argued that they were not innocent at all. The most glaring problem they faced, however, was what they would do once they got out. None of them knew where they were from or where they could go, and they would have no money and little possessions. The Arena was all any of them had ever known, so it would be most difficult for them to live on the outside. They were stuck.

Spending the week amongst her friends meant that May had seen very little of Ash again. She had barely spoken to him at all besides the notes they still wrote for one another, and she was beginning to miss his presence deeply. Despite countless invites to their group meetings, Ash had failed to attend a single one since the first. May figured he had decided he wanted to stick with his own group of friends, and while that hurt her slightly it was okay to her. The problem was that it was hurting their movement. People needed to see them together, so they could slowly begin to do more and more with each other in front of other people so they would become accustomed to fire and water types interacting.

The following weekend came quickly, marking for May that it had been 9 days since she and Ash had spoken in person. Of course, it was difficult since nobody knew that they talked yet, but it was not impossible. May had been by the lake a few times that week still and never seen him there, though she had seen him leaving to go there when he knew she had already come back. No, Ash had no excuse to not see her. Something was most definitely wrong. She didn't want to force contact, but pretty soon she would have to corner him somehow to ask about it, as he ignored the question when she asked via the notes.

For now though, she and Dawn sat together in Dawn's room. May rarely visited her friend's room, even though it was on the same corridor as Drew's. Dawn spent most of her time hanging around in the social areas of The Arena with Paul, but he had fallen sick the night before and was taken to the infirmary with a slight fever. Though she herself knew it was nothing to worry about, May could see that her friend had gotten little sleep.

"I gotta ask, May…" her friend suddenly started, looking up from a magazine she'd been flipping through. "I'm really confused about you and Drew. In fact, I'm confused about the entire situation. I didn't wanna bring it up incase it was touchy but I really have to know."

May felt herself tense at the mention of her antics this week. Suddenly, she and Drew were seen holding hands wherever they went together, kissing occasionally, and constantly whispering to one another, followed by giggles. With it all being so out of the blue, all of her friends were extremely confused, and she couldn't blame then. Only May and Drew really knew what was going on.

"Yes, I knew it was only a matter of time before you brought that up…"

"You told me you had feelings for Ash last week... So what changed?"

Dawn could see her friend's mood turn sour at the mention of Ash's name. Looking down, May seemed almost embarrassed, but also extremely hurt.

"Nothing has changed. I still have feelings for him, though… he has been avoiding me this week. I've hardly seen him at all, and we haven't spoken. I'm starting to think he doesn't want to talk to me anymore… I just wish I knew why."

Dawn had a lot of sympathy for her friend, and she couldn't answer why he would be avoiding her, but in the back of her mind an idea pushed its way in. The idea almost made her smirk. Ash had begun to avoid her just as May and Drew became a thing, and Dawn just couldn't get it out of her mind that it might not be a coincidence.

"I'm sure there's an explanation for it, May, and I'm sure he'll come around. I tell you what… let me talk to him for you. I'll do it tonight."

"Oh, no… You don't have to do that. I don't want to bother him."

"Trust me, it won't bother him. I'm going to do it, so don't argue with me." Dawn smiled. "Now… the Drew thing?"

May sighed. "Yeah… It started last week when I overheard quite a few people talking about Ash and I. They were accusing us of being romantically involved, and calling it disgusting. I couldn't have people believing that we were a couple, they weren't ready to hear that kind of thing… It would really have damaged the whole movement, and so… Drew and I, it's an act… and I feel horrible for it because he's told me he loves me. We talked about it just yesterday, and he told me it was okay because he could push the fact that it's an act from his mind and pretend he was really with me, but eventually it'll have to end and then what? It's stopped the rumours, sure, but with what consequences? I don't want to break Drew, I really care for him as my best friend."

"That is a tough situation you've gotten into. I would suggest if Drew is okay with it, he will blame himself once it's over for ever letting himself get that into it. On the other hand, I think he'll be fine, honestly. He's such a strong person. So, based on those guesses, I'd say you should keep the act up a little longer. Though, the longer Ash avoids you, the longer you'll need to keep it up. You need people to at least accept Ash as your friend before you can let go of Drew, or those rumours will start again. I can't imagine how hard this is for the both of you, but I know that you're doing it for all of us."

"You're right. Ash avoiding me is the biggest problem we face right now. We don't necessarily need a solid plan just yet, but people changing the attitudes they've had their whole lives will take a long time, and our time is limited."

Dawn nodded. "I'll speak to him later and sort this out."

The conversation quickly switched back to their usual topics and within half an hour May was leaving, saying she needed to shower before they all went to practice their powers. Dawn teased May about Ash, should look as nice as possible for him in case they were to see him. May had grumbled at the remarks but did not argue and left her friend alone. With only an hour until dinner, Dawn quickly left too in search of Ash.

After searching several rooms including the pool, the small social area and the gym, she finally spotted Ash as she passed by the window of the larger social area she often visited. He was sitting beside Misty on the sofa, his face twisting slightly as she lay her head on his chest with a smug look on her face. Dawn sighed and entered, and was relieved to see the room was relatively quiet.

"Ash," she called across. He turned to face her, his face expressing his annoyance. She ignored him and called again, trying not to look at Misty who was now glaring coldly. "I need to talk to you, please."

After a deep sigh and a grumble, Ash rose from the sofa, letting Misty flop against the sofa. He didn't say anything to his red-headed friend before he left, which seemed to annoy her, but Dawn said nothing. Once Ash reached her she grabbed his wrist and dragged him roughly outside, ignoring his protests. Misty had taken to staring at the pair angrily through the large window.

"What is it, then?" he asked impatiently. Dawn crossed her arms in frustration at his tone and his face eased a little as he calmed. "Sorry."

"It's about May."

Ash's face was instantly sour again.

"I need to know why you're avoiding her. I know there must be some good reason for it, and I want you to know that you can tell me anything and I won't even think about telling her."

"Why do you need to know? You just admitted that you know it's for a good reason so why not leave it at that?"

"Because this can't carry on, Ash. Think about it. How are the two of you going to work your way up to being friends in front of everyone if you're never even seen together, or if the two of you become distant because of this? We all need the two of you to get along."

Ash sighed heavily, though not in annoyance this time around. "Okay," he conceded. "It's about Drew." At that, Dawn's eyes lit up and she dropped her head so he wouldn't see. It was short lived. "I know that she doesn't like him that way so I can only assume he's being forceful with her and forcing her into it and she's doing nothing to stop it. She must be doing it just to please him. As a friend it makes me concerned, but even if that weren't the case it would upset me simply because I don't like Drew much."

Dawn's excitement at his first statement had quickly disappeared as she learned he had been mad because he thought that May was simply playing Drew's bitch. Still, it was easily cured, and so it wasn't all bad.

"Ash, it's an act."

Ash squinted down at Dawn, obviously not understanding her. "What do you mean?"

"She told me herself that she had heard rumours being spread about you and her and it was starting to stir up a hatred, and so she needed the rumour to be cleared. The only way she could do that for sure was to make people think she was already with someone else, and Drew agreed. It's an act. They don't act like that around our group when they don't need to keep the act up, and I noticed."

Dawn tried her best to read Ash's emotions from his face, but she couldn't tell what he was feeling, though she swore she saw a flicker of relief for a second before he hid it again

"Oh… Well, now I feel like an idiot."

"Don't, I won't tell her. Tell her you needed time to think about the whole situation or something. Come sit with us at dinner today. We need the two of you around each other some more."

"Alright. See you then."

With that, Dawn let Ash return to Misty, whose suspicious eyes hadn't left them the entire time they talked. After watching him sit by her and ignore her poking questions for a moment, she turned and headed back to her room, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. She was beginning to understand Ash's feelings, and she thought she saw something there that she liked. Now all she had to do was work to find out if she was right or not.

Returning to May, this time in her room instead, Dawn entered without knocking. May sat at her desk, fingering the pile of notes she'd received from Ash in the several weeks she'd known him, but whirled around when she heard her friend enter.

"Well?" she asked before Dawn had even closed the door. Dawn laughed.

"Don't worry May, it'll be okay now. I spoke to him."

"And what was it?"

"He was mad about you and Drew." She sat on the brunette's bed casually, spreading herself across is. May's heart skipped a beat.

"What do you mean?"

Grinning at the hope in May's tone, she almost felt bad that she had to tell her it wasn't what she thought. "He was mad because he knew you didn't like Drew so he thought he'd forced you into it or something."

"Oh."

May fell silent, disappointed in the real reason he was mad. She had hoped it would be because he was jealous, but she had known that was a crazy idea. All the same, she was more than pleased that he would start letting her see him again.

"I think you should tell him how you feel."

May choked at Dawn's sudden, unexpected comment. "What? No! I don't even love him, they're just silly feelings, and there's no chance he likes me too… then it would just be awkward and it would ruin our friendship."

"So you plan to just hold this in forever?"

"I'm sure it won't last forever…" May muttered, but she herself was doubting her sentence before it even left her lips. The connection she felt with Ash was stronger than any she'd felt with anyone, and she couldn't help but want to spend more and more time with him. She couldn't imagine herself staying by anyone else's side, even if her feelings weren't quite love yet. They just clicked together and got along so well as soon as they met. He made her feel safe, he watched out for her, and he cared for her, or at least acted as if he did.

"Perhaps not, but what about when Misty takes him?"

May's eyes shot up to her friend in fear. "What?"

"I know she likes him. What if she confesses and they get together? What then? You will just be suffering."

"I know…" May trailed off. "I'm not telling him, though. There's too much at risk. We need to get along if we want our plan to work. I can't risk ruining our friendship like that. I can't."

Dawn sighed for her friend. She knew what May was saying was correct, and that she had no proof at all that Ash liked her as more than a close friend. Before she could give her friend any more advice, there was something she had to do.

"I promise you I'll try to find out how he feels. I won't force you to say anything, but it would be best for you, and I just want to see you happy."

May smiled sadly. "And I just want to see him happy, Dawn. Really, that's all I want. If that's with Misty, then so be it."

Dawn sighed once again, but no more was said on the subject, and the girls returned to talking about other things, though both of their minds were on Ash.

* * *

That night, May left her room to meet her friends in the social area to practice their powers again. She'd left late after debating whether or not to make an appearance at all. Her conversation with Dawn had left her feeling low, and when she had looked in the mirror it was painfully obvious that she had spent the last hour crying. Still, with puffy eyes and messed up hair, she left.

She stood before the door, psyching herself up, before pushing the door open in one quick swoop, and was met by the gaze of Ash. His face twisted in concern, but he had no chance to speak before Drew had glided over and took her face in his hands.

"Are you alright, May? What's wrong sweetheart?"

"I'm fine, it's nothing." She pulled away from his hands gently and they dropped back to his side, while his expression turned to stone. May was sorry, but she knew he knew he didn't have to keep the act up here. _I'm sorry, Drew, but I can't tell you the problem when it's standing right next to you._

Wiping her eyes with her sleeve roughly, she closed the door behind her. An awkward silence had fallen now. Looking around, May sighed at the fact that only 3 other people were present.

"Where's Dawn?"

"She said she had some business to attend to," Drew answered. "In those words."

His answered immediately raised suspicions in her mind. After their conversation earlier, May couldn't shake the idea that her 'business' was something related to her and Ash. She could only pray that her friend wasn't getting herself too involved or giving her away.

"Sounds like Dawn." She sighed. "Alright… Hi, Ash."

She hadn't made eye contact with him yet. She was almost afraid to.

"Hi, May. I thought I'd come to see what I can do… to help and all."

"Thanks… we need all the help we can get."

Pushing her worries from her mind, May forced herself to think about the task at hand. Despite spending the majority of the week together, most of the time the group had been speaking about how they would gather information needed or how they would start things off. It had been days and days since May had seen any of her friends try to use any powers.

"I have something to show you, May," Serena spoke up, seemingly excited. With May watching her she quickly spread her arms apart. She bent her elbows and brought her hands together until they were inches apart in front of her and pulled her arms back, keeping her hands in their position. May noticed that between her hands an energy had grown and now it was spiralling around her, an invisible wind lifting her hair. Then, as Serena pulled back, the wind grew stronger like a small tornado around her, glowing with a hint of pink. Serena pushed her arms forward suddenly, sending the wind forward in a blast that almost knocked her off her feet.

"That was incredible, Serena!" Drew was saying before May managed to steady herself and react. Serena's face softened from the determined look she'd worn to a sheepish smile. May was stunned.

"Was that wind?"

"Yeah, it's a move my Sylveon knows called Fairy Wind. While I was battling Dawn the other day out on the field I watched her perform it and it hit me, somehow I just knew I'd be able to do that if I tried. So I spoke to her, and she helped me, and it took a few days but I managed to finally do it, though that's the strongest one I've managed so far."

"That was amazing, Serena."

Serena blushed. "Thank you."

Drew sighed heavily. "I wish I could offer something, but all my attempts have been fruitless. I still can't figure out how to do it."

"It's alright, Drew." May placed her hand on his arm. "You'll figure it out, it might just take some time. I mean, it's not like you've ever had to worry about this before. Just be patient."

He brightened up at her kind words, smiling down at her and putting an arm around her shoulder. "Thanks, May. I'll keep trying for you."

May smiled up at him genuinely. Having convinced herself that she had no chance with Ash, she didn't mind that he was watching, and assumed he would have no objection either now that Dawn had reassured him that she wasn't doing it against her will. She continued to look up at Drew who had turned to speak to Serena, but May couldn't hear what she was saying. Looking up at him, a crazy thought came to her mind. _He really loves me… And Ash doesn't… Perhaps if I were to stay like this with him I'd learn to love him and he'd look after me._

May almost convinced herself that it was true, but once she finally turned away from gazing up at Drew and smiling, her eyes met Ash's, and the stab of pain in her chest brought her back to reality. Her face fell once again.

* * *

A floor below them, Dawn found the person she had been looking for. Ash's friends often hung around outside until late, though he was rarely seen with them. Seeing that he wasn't with them tonight either, Dawn stepped out into the dark, smiling in their direction. Misty's smile back was forced but Dawn didn't mind. Reaching their group, she stood in the cold, her hands tucked into her pockets.

"Could I have a word, Brock?"

The rock type looked up at her from his position on the grass. Brock had spoken to Dawn a few times beforehand and knew who she was, so while the request confused him a little, it didn't concern him. Dawn knew that she liked Brock and hi friendly, goofy personality. He lifted himself of the grass and followed her back inside the building, where she turned a corner and stopped, leaning against a wall.

"Alright, what's up?" he asked.

"Actually, this is about Ash."

Brock raised an eyebrow. "Ash? What about him?"

"I wanted to ask about his feelings."

"Feelings?"

"Yeah, romantic feelings. You know."

"Romantic feelings? Ash?" Brock gave a hearty laugh. "I doubt he even knows what they are. I don't think I can think of a time Ash has expressed any interest in anyone, even people that are interested in him. It may be because he just isn't interested, but he has always seemed more interested in other things. I don't think he knows what romantic feelings are yet."

 _Well that's not promising, although Ash may just be good at hiding feelings. Of course he would have to if they were for May, even if I am clutching at false hope here._

"Why are you asking, anyway?" Brock spoke again. Dawn looked away.

"For a friend that's interested."

"Ah," Brock said, rubbing the back of his head with his hand and grimacing. Dawn looked up at him, a sudden wave of panic hitting her.

"What?"

"Well, you'll have to apologise to your friend, they're gonna have a hard time…" Dawn's heart dropped as Brock paused and stuck his hands into his pockets. "Misty is his girlfriend."

* * *

May returned to her room exhausted. She'd managed to recreate the fireballs she'd fired at Misty, but it drained her of her energy. Tired from the crying and the powers, her eyes were heavy and she dragged herself into her room. Sitting on her bed, she pulled Blaziken's pokeball out from her pocket and pressed the button to enlarge it, then released him. Appearing before her, he glanced down at his trainer. Noticing her miserable mood he sat on the floor by her bed and purred slightly when she stroked his head gently. With one hand stroking Blaziken, she rested her head in the other, her elbow propped up on her knee. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice the door open. Blaziken tensed up under her.

"May?"

"Hi, Ash," she replied, still staring ahead. She was barely fazed by his appearance. She had almost expected him to pay her a visit now that they were speaking again. A large part of her wished he hadn't.

"Are you okay?" He asked, staying by the door. May flinched, realising he felt awkward. After days of not speaking, Ash was struggling to look at her. Neither of them knew what to say.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"It doesn't seem that way to me," he said, still not managing to look at her. "What is it?"

May sighed. "I couldn't possibly tell you. I'm sorry. I wish I could."

Looking up at him to see if he would return her glance, she noticed her answer had hurt him. He almost seemed angry.

"Look," he started, anger hiding in his tone," I'm sorry I avoided you this week, but something's going on to do with what I was annoyed about. I can tell that's what you're upset about, so why won't you tell me? Aren't we supposed to be friends?"

His words were becoming angrier. May's lip began to tremble. "I… I really don't think that's your business."

Ash turned to face her suddenly, catching her off guard. He took a step towards her and Blaziken shifted suspiciously.

"Not my business? Really, May? After the way I saw him speak to you before, and you hid behind me as soon as he appeared? I'm not allowed to be concerned?"

He was raising his voice now. With May's emotions stirring up inside of her, it was almost too much to handle. Her hands had fallen into her lap, and now they were clenched, her nails digging into the palm of her hand more and more with every word he spoke. A lump had caught in her throat, and her eyes were threatening to well up. She took a shaky breath.

"Well?" he demanded.

"What do you want me to say?!" she snapped, her hands pressing down into her lap angrily. She tried her best not to shake. "You ignored me for a week, you bastard! You ignored me!"

Stunned by her outburst, Ash fell silent, the anger disappearing from his face. He sighed. Her head had fallen, and he noticed her hands pressing angrily into her legs.

"I'm sorry, May. But… something's wrong, right?" he asked her calmly.

"Yeah," she answered, moving her hands to release them. "Something's wrong."

He said nothing, not wanting to push her to tell him. After a moment she was calm again.

"So, this is your Blaziken?" he spoke up, desperately wanting to drag her attention from whatever was bothering her so badly.

May's lip curled into a small smile as he began to ask her about Blaziken, about his attacks and his history, and eventually sat by her desk. They continued to talk, about Pokemon and each other's friends, their interests and their hopes. They talked for hours into the early hours of the morning, and the for the entire time, May forgot about everything but the conversation she was having, and once he left fell asleep easily with a smile on her face.


	8. Misty

**Hello to anyone that's still here,**

 **sorry for the lack of updates, life's been very busy with finals and university applications, etc.**

 **As my way of apologising to anyone still sticking around, I've written 5 chapters to post today. Also don't forget the poll on my profile!**

* * *

May had decided to use the bow in her hair today rather than her bandanna. Instead of separating her hair into her usual two parts either side of her hair she let it lie naturally, though it still shaped her face. She'd brushed it for much longer than usual, and inspected her face before leaving her room. After talking to Ash for hours 3 nights in a row, she was feeling happier than she had in weeks. The talks were refreshing; he really listened to what she was saying, and understood how she felt. She loved to learn about him too, and badgered him with endless questions from why he chose Pikachu to what he would do if he could make himself invisible for a day.

He had joined her friends' table for breakfast the past 2 days, but went to his own for dinner. Today, Ash met May outside her room in the open. Without worry, without hiding, they walked side by side down to the dining hall, and entered together. People turned their heads but not a word was spoken as they walked to the table and took seats opposite one another, May speaking to Ash about something she'd read in a book. After taking her seat next to Drew, she planted a kiss on his cheek, knowing people were still watching. Everyone went back to eating, which was a success to May, even if some were still glancing their way in disgust. Their plan seemed to be working for now. May now fully believed she would one day soon be able to be seen doing anything two other types could do with Ash, and the reality of that hurt. Of course, it was what she wanted all along from the moment they met, but then she would know it was acceptable for them to be together, and they wouldn't be. She knew they wouldn't be.

Noticing her sudden misery, Drew found her hand under the table and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Looking up at Drew, the thought that had been frequently invading her mind floated in once again, and she squeezed back, smiling. Drew's smile was so genuine. _Could I love him if I continue to spend this much time with him?_

Once they had finished eating, Ash left to find his own friends again. Dawn, who had not stopped bothering Paul since his return the day before, decided it was time for them to go for a walk through the woods. While May and Drew were invited, both knew that it would be best if they didn't go. It would be nice to give the two of them some time alone, especially with Dawn's feelings becoming more and more evident to them all. Serena spluttered something about having to cut someone's hair and scattered off quickly. May and Drew had rarely been left alone since they had began their act. May had expected it to be awkward, but the silence they fell into as they left the dining hall was so natural, it only brought May's previous thought back into the light.

"Do you want to do something?" Drew asked, stopping as they left the hall. "It's better than sitting in your room just reading or napping."

"Sure." May answered without hesitation. "What do you wanna do?"

"Ah… I hadn't thought that far ahead," Drew answered, laughing nervously. May giggled.

"Alright, let's go to the lake. It's really nice there."

Drew's face twisted. "Won't Ash be there at this time of day?"

"So what if he is?"

Surprised at her answer, Drew looked down at his companion to try to read her expression as his heart skipped a beat, but she seemed to be being genuine. A burst of hope came to him, and he could only nod in reply. They walked together through the woods, and although no one was around, May held his hand. Most of the time they walked in silence, and while May silently wished she were with Ash having one of their deep conversations, she pushed that thought away.

When they reached the lake, Drew's fear became real. Ash sat with Brock by the lake a little way away from where they were, and noticed them instantly. Drew looked back, this time with no hate in his eyes, and Ash seemed to ignore them, though Drew didn't believe he really was. Running to the water's edge, May jumped right into the stone cold water so that it came to her hips and looked back over her shoulder. In that moment, time seemed to stand still as Drew watched her. Something about the way she stood, the way she looked, the ecstatic look on her face, was beautiful to him. Standing there, she looked so perfect, so happy, and so free. It was as if the world around him dissolved, and he was left with just himself and May in this happy moment that would never end. For a moment, The Arena didn't exist, and they were both free together.

She called for him to come, snapping out of his daydream, and awkwardly he walked over and hovered by the edge.

"Come on, it's not that cold, you baby," she teased, in the way the old May always would at any given opportunity. He dropped his head to hide his smile.

"I was going to, jeez."

Waddling in slowly, he was soon at the same level as May. She began to play with her powers, bending fire around in her hands, showing off her control over her abilities. Completely mesmerised, Drew watched, making sarcastic comments whenever she messed up slightly. After a while, May stopped, and asked Drew to try again. Embarrassed, Drew looked away.

"You know I can't do anything," he answered. "I've tried too many times."

"One more time," May urged, placing her hand on his shoulder. "For me."

Drew sighed and turned back to her. He raised his hands out of the water and closed his eyes. As soon as they closed, the image of May appeared before him, just as she was before, looking over her shoulder at him with that smile of hers beaming. Feeling an energy gather in him, he faltered, but quickly fixed himself and focused on it, not letting the image of May leave his mind. Drawing the energy in towards his chest, he pulled his hands in towards his chest. Feeling as if the energy was gathered there, Drew pushed out quickly, not opening his eyes for a moment.

"Wow."

Drew opened his eyes, but nothing had changed. He sighed. "I told you I couldn't do it."

"No, Drew," May said, taking his hands and inspecting his palms. "You did it. You used Energy Ball. You did it."

"I did?"

May nodded, taking hold of his hand. "You did it. I'm proud."

He blushed but made no attempt to hide it and waded closer to May in the water. It had been her that had made him able to use his power. It had been the image of her that pushed him. She looked up at him as he got closer. Lifting a hand, he took her cheek in his hand and noticed her blush. With a burst of confidence, he placed his other hand on her waist and pulled her closer until they were just inches apart. She didn't fight it. He faltered. _Just kiss her, idiot. Genuinely this time._

Drew prepared to make his move, and looked down towards May. In the moment he had faltered, she had turned and looked out towards where Ash was watching, the two of them making eye contact. She looked back quickly, still not fighting, but her eyes had clouded over, and her happy smile had been replaced by a stone expression. Taking a deep breath to push back his emotion, Drew let his hands drop to his sides again and moved away slightly.

"I think we should go sit for a bit to dry off," he spoke, hiding his shaking voice poorly. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," May answered, an obvious fake smile on her face, and they headed back to land silently. All of the energy Drew had previously felt had disappeared completely; his light had faded out.

May lay on her stomach on the grass, facing out towards the lake. If she looked to her right, she could still keep an eye on Ash and what he was doing. Drew sat beside her, picking at the grass. It had been silent for a few minutes before May rolled over and pushed herself closer to him, laying her head on his lap.

"You remember those girls that escaped?" May asked, staring up at the sky. Drew took to looking down at the girl in his lap, who had just placed herself there without thinking, and was completely calm about it. He swallowed hard.

"Yeah, why?"

"I was just thinking about it. They closed off the outside for a few days, but how could that have been long enough for them to solve the problem?"

"I don't know what you mean," he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well I mean there must still be a way out somewhere."

"You're suggesting we run away?"

"I don't know what I'm suggesting." May sighed. "I just… I think we should find it."

"Huh… I don't know, May, that sounds kind of dangerous."

May sat up suddenly, looking at him with a stone cold expression. "No more dangerous than anything else we're going to have to do, Drew. If we want to get out of here we have to know… that it might not go our way, that it might not work and something might go wrong, but you have to believe that it's worth a shot."

"I do." Drew nodded. "Really, I do."

May was about to speak about her new plan when she noticed Ash and Brock moving. She watched as Brock stood and helped Ash up, and then they turned and began to walk right towards them, with Brock wearing a sceptical look. May froze.

"What the hell is he doing?" She asked. Drew placed his hand on her leg, and although she flinched at first she didn't move away. In her mind, Drew was simply reassuring her. I'm Drew's mind, he was making sure they knew she was his, even if it was only just for now.

"May, Drew," Ash spoke as he got closer. They both stood to meet them. "I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Brock." They were standing right before each other now, Brock still looking less than impressed. "Brock, this is Drew."

"Nice to meet you," Drew greeted, politely nodding towards Brock. Brock returned his greeting.

"And this is May." Ash gestured towards her. May smiled nervously.

"Nice to meet you, Brock."

Brock shook his head with a smile, and suddenly took her hand in his, bringing it up towards himself and leaning to kiss it. "The pleasure is all mine when meeting such a beautiful lady."

May blushed and laughed nervously, turning to Ash to silently ask him to say something. Ash's reaction was unreadable.

"She is beautiful," Drew responded unexpectedly, putting his arm around her shoulder. She would have thought he was being unnecessarily defensive, but his face was calm, and his smile was genuine. She could do nothing but blink at the odd conversation and environment.

"I'm gonna head back, Ash," Brock spoke again, not sensing the awkward atmosphere at all. "I'll catch you later."

With that, Brock took off with a speedy stride, his hands stuck into his pockets. Yawning slightly, Drew rubbed May's arm with the hand already settled on her shoulder. "Well, maybe we should go back too, May? I'm ready to head back."

"You can go." May smiled up at him. "I want to stay for a bit."

She had known before she said it what his reaction would be. He looked mad, a little hurt that she wanted to stay with Ash rather than return with him, but also he understood, and he had to remind himself that the relationship that they were in was just an act, that he couldn't really have her all to himself, that he couldn't really expect her to be faithful if Ash should, by some chance, happen to want her.

"Alright, I'll see you later then."

Leaning up to kiss his cheek, May returned the goodbye and Drew headed off in the direction Brock had just left in.

"How are you feeling?" Ash asked her once they were alone. She sat herself on the grass and he soon joined her.

"I'm okay. I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"I get it. I would be too. You can talk to me anytime though, you know that."

Ash began to stretch his arms and lay himself back on the grass bank. Feeling comfortable with her new best friend, she lay back in the opposite direction and lay her head on his stomach, placing an arm over her eyes to block out the sun.

"I was just talking to Drew about the girls that escaped a little while ago," she began. Ash stayed silent. "There must be a breach in the wall somewhere out there. I think we should find it."

"And then what?"

"I don't know exactly… I haven't really thought that far ahead… I just know it's what we have to do. I can feel it. Don't you?"

"Kinda." Ash yawned quietly. "I'll help you look for it if you think it'll point us in the right direction." Ash closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth pouring from the sunshine. When he noticed May hadn't replied, he pushed himself up, propping himself on his elbows to look down on her. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just so scared." May took the arm away from her eyes to look back up at him. "What if someone sees us? What if it doesn't go to plan? What if-"

"May, stop it."

Stunned, May fell silent, and her friend began again. "You're worrying far too much. Surely the risk is worth it, and while you've shown me that life inside here can be great I don't want to spend my whole life here. It's worth a shot when one of the prizes would be to live on the outside like everybody else."

Surprised that his arguments didn't counter her own, May simply continued to listen, letting him speak of how he wished to get out and closed her own eyes, squeezing them tightly shut.

"Besides…" Ash sat, shuffling away slowly so that May would sit up and face him. She watched as his expression turned serious and he took her hands in his own. "If we're going down, we're going down together."

At another time, May might have blushed at his words or the feeling of his skin against her own, but for now he seemed so serious, and the way he expressed it spoke a thousand words to May. This was Ash swearing his loyalty as a best friend to her, and May thanked her lucky stars that she had made the best friend she'd ever had at a time when she'd need him most. Squeezing his hands, she smiled wide and let go.

"Let's stick together then."

She held out her hand in the air with a grin on her face. Grinning back with a chuckle, Ash responded to her high five with enthusiasm, and May's heart began to beat just a little faster.

"Ash?"

The voice came so suddenly, May barely had time to react before a new person thrust herself into view, her arms crossed across her chest. May felt a strange sensation in her chest as Misty looked down at her. Turning to check Ash, she was surprised to see a cool look on his face, as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Hey, Mist."

Hearing the nickname he had for her, May's chest tightened. The redhead gave a sickly sweet smile.

"I didn't realise you were out here, and with a new friend?"

"I'd been out here with Brock." He shrugged, ignoring the fact that Misty was now glaring at May, and May had taken to staring down at her knees, which she'd drawn up to her chest.

"Well, everyone's been talking for a couple weeks about the two of you talking. I suppose it's not taboo for water and fire types to talk anymore? And not taboo for them to hang out together, in your opinion?"

The question was almost attacking Ash, but it was as if he didn't notice. Cooly, he shrugged again. "If you got to know her, you'd like her too. She's a nice person, it doesn't matter what type she is."

Misty's eyes still hadn't moved from her target. "Hmm." She held out her hand suddenly. "May, I wanna talk to you."

The tone she used made May both curious and terrified. Choosing not to take the hand offered to her, May pushed herself up from the bank and turned to Ash, who gave her an apologetic glance, but said nothing. Following Misty into the woods, May began to yearn for his presence again, wishing he would say something to send her away or defend May instead of letting her drag her off into the woods to 'talk'.

"Alright, what's your motive?" Misty poked. "For speaking to him? Do you have feelings for him?"

Blushing, May held up her hands. "No! I mean, no… it's not like that between us. We're just friends, and I wanted to be able to be his friend. It just made me want to break the taboo."

"Are you sure? Because he might not see it but it seems to me that you have feelings for him."

"I don't," May insisted. "And besides why would it matter, even if I did?"

"Because then I would have to tell you to stay away, which I'm now going to do because it's quite obvious that you're lying to me." Misty placed her hands on her hips.

"Well no, I won't stay away. Ash and I are friends."

"You will stay away."

"Will I now?"

"Yes, you will, because Ash is my boy-"

"Misty!" Ash cut her off. Appearing by the tree behind her he leaned against it. "Come here. Now."

Misty glanced back at May coldly one last time before following Ash back towards the lake, leaving May stunned and confused. _What was she about to say? Surely not. But it did sound like she was going to say it…_

Following in the direction they had just headed, May peered around the trees to check if she would be able to go back. Ash and Misty stood a little way away, far enough for her not to be able to hear what they were talking about. She looked guilty as he looked down at her, almost looking cross, but May could tell she was still arguing back. Ash sighed and finally the conversation seemed to end. Misty, glancing around briefly but not spotting May, said goodbye and headed off back towards The Arena and Ash headed back towards the lake. Waiting a few moments for Misty to disappear, May left her cover and ran back in the direction Ash had gone to meet him again.

At dinner, Dawn had taken her usual position next to Paul, except today she had inched ever so closer to him on the bench, so that their legs rubbed against one another. May sat opposite the two, next to Drew, whose leg touched her own but not quite as much. Ash had joined them again after walking back with May earlier and showering, and sat on the other side of her, further from her than Drew was.

As May was eating, she felt Drew nudge her gently with his elbow. Turning to him, she noticed his smirk as he held up his wrist and his watch turned on, the holograph menu shining up. She noticed Ash looking out the corner of his eye but watched as Drew selected a few things, until a heart image showed up, and he held it up between Dawn and Paul. May giggled, as Dawn looked up from her plate, her eyes burning into the image.

"Drew, stop that!" Dawn shouted, swiping for the watch, but Drew pulled his wrist back, keeping the image up between them, causing May to giggle more at Dawn's annoyance and the murder in her eyes. "Stop it Drew! Hey!" Dawn stood up from her chair, trying to swipe for it again, but Drew moved too fast for her. He laughed, and May was about to make a joke about her and Paul when the image disappeared suddenly. His face dropping, Drew looked at his watch, which had turned off. He pressed the power switch, but nothing happened. May looked to Dawn, whose eyes were on the watch.

"Did you do that?"

Dawn blinked a few times, seeming spaced out. "Maybe… I'm not sure."

Serena cheered from beside Paul. "Dawn, that will be so useful!"

"Well, can you like, make it work again?" Drew pleaded, still pressing the power button repeatedly. Still a little startled, Dawn focused once again on his watch, and it powered on, displaying its holographic image once again. Amazed, May could only watch.

"That's incredible! Try the lights!" Serena cheered. Dawn, while still looking spaced out, turned to face the lights on the ceiling which were on. With no hint of concentration on her face at all, the lights flickered off, sparking confusion from everyone around them. May, with her slight fear of the dark, shuffled further from Drew in the shade, and closer to Ash, making her feel safe.

"Turn them back on!" Paul hissed as the guards appeared at the door, scratching their head in confusion and flicking the light switch repeatedly.

"I just tried to!" Dawn whispered back aggressively. "I can't do it!"

Drew stifled a giggle. "You could really mess with some people in here with that… If you can do that, imagine what else you're capable of. Do you think that you can feel electric shocks?"

"Probably," Dawn scoffed. "Don't be crazy."

After a few moments of bickering, the lights flicked naturally back on, as Dawn confirmed when everyone turned to her to check she hadn't done it. Noticing May sitting closer to Ash than before, Dawn smirked subtly and hid her face. She had a plan in mind, one she was sure couldn't go wrong, and would help her friend enormously, if only she could get it started.

But one line from Paul sent her plan tumbling to the ground.

"Hey, before I forget man, if Misty's your girlfriend, how come you're never really around her?"

Ash seemed to stiffen in his space. May almost choked, feeling her heart drop to the floor in one violent crash. All her worries flooded her brain, and the source of all her stress came to a head. Misty really was his girlfriend. Looking up, she noticed Dawn watching her, a guilty look plastered on her face. _She knew._

Suddenly, May took Drew's hand in her own and stood quickly, almost dragging him up with her. With a sickly sweet smile on her lips, she tugged him so he would rise too, and faced her group. "I'm sorry, I really want some alone time with him, I'll catch you guys later."

Drew, knowing exactly why his partner was acting this way, followed her actions and smiled apologetically back at his friends as they left. Her grip on his hand was tight and angry, and she didn't speak until they reached the door. She had been planning on leaving, but outside a storm was brewing, and the first signs were showing in the fast winds.

"Let's go to the smaller social area, May. No one will be there when everyone's eating."

Her grip on his hand quickly loosened to the point where she was barely holding on anymore, and she dragged her feet down the corridor as they headed to and entered their usual meeting place. Sitting down beside her on the sofa, he placed his arm around her shoulder and rubbed it gently, consoling her as much as he could without having to ask her. She sat in the silence, seemingly staring at the wall at the other side of the room, lost in her thoughts, but she did not cry. After ten minutes, she leaned closer to him and lay her head on his chest, his arm still around her. He blushed, but she couldn't see from her position.

"Are you mad?"

A few seconds of silence followed before she answered. "At Dawn. She knew the whole time. I could see it on her face as soon as Paul even said those words. I can't be angry at Ash. I guess I saw this coming all along."

"I understand, May. It wasn't right for Dawn to keep something like that from you and get your hopes up."

"Oh, my hopes were never up." May sighed. "But they were never down until now either."

"I'm here for you," he said as caringly as he could, rubbing her shoulder still. "Whether we're really together or not I'm here for you, you know that."

"I really appreciate that, Drew."

Lowering his head slightly, she felt him plant a kiss on the top of her head, and blushed slightly. She brought her legs up onto the sofa and buried herself deeper into his chest. He removed his hand from her shoulder and brought it up to her head instead, to stroke her hair gently. He was happy there, and he could only hope he had managed to calm her somehow.

It would be another hour before anyone disturbed their peace. After Drew had noticed May had fallen asleep on his chest, he let her lie there, and simply turned on the TV to watch. People would walk by, but no one came inside until he heard the door quietly slide open, and Dawn entered.

"Is she asleep?"

Drew nodded in response, feeling slightly mad at his friend too.

"Ah… Guess I'll have to speak to her later. Is she mad at me?"

"Yeah, she is. She thinks you knew that Misty was Ash's girlfriend and chose not to tell her."

"I did."

"What?"

Dawn sighed, sitting on the arm of the sofa beside Drew, watching May sleep peacefully on his chest. "I wanted to watch Ash and Misty for a while. Brock, Ash's friend, told me that they were a couple but I never really saw it when they were together. It always seemed as if she were forcing herself on him and he wanted away. Something tells me they're not together."

"What did Ash say after we left?"

"I don't know, I left right away too. All I know is Paul was giggling away to himself and Ash looked annoyed. Again, that makes me question whether they're really together or not."

Drew didn't speak for a moment, simply looked down at May's peaceful expression as she slept, and began to stroke her head again softly, frightened of waking her.

"I'm sorry, Drew," Dawn spoke up again. "I know this must be hard for you. You really love May, don't you?"

Without looking up from his sleeping partner, Drew nodded slowly. "I do… but I'll be fine. She has feelings for Ash, and I see them growing stronger every passing day. I worry he'll hurt her, but there's nothing I can do, especially once she starts to love him."

"I don't think he'll hurt her, he seems-"

A slight grunting noise cut her off, and the pair looked to May, who had begun to stir, rubbing her face against his chest sleepily. "Drew? Drew?"

"Yes, May? I'm here." he said gently, pushing her hair from her face. May's eyes fluttered open and landed on Dawn. Immediately she was standing, and before either of them could say another word, she turned around and stormed out of the door.

As she left, she noticed Ash walking towards her at the end of the corridor. Her anger rose again, and all the hurt and confusion hit her at once. He moved so he was moving directly towards her, and she lowered her head. He stopped to meet her, but she stormed on, pushing past him, and began to run, and didn't stop until she reached her room and was lying on her own bed. She heard him knock on her door and call out her name, asking what was wrong, but chose to shove her head under her pillows rather than listen. Once she stopped hearing his voice, she began to sob, the cries racking her whole body.


	9. Best Friends

A week had passed since May had last spoken to Dawn or Ash. She made herself unavailable, never attending any meetings, and always claiming to be busy with Drew. She began to drag Drew everywhere with her, and once the storm passed she began to take him out to the lake on her daily visit, so when Ash would see her there he wouldn't approach her. She and Drew spent a lot of time in contact with one another, although it was only ever hugging or cuddling. May never kissed him. May had frequently talked to Serena and Paul, and Dawn had made numerous attempts to explain herself, but May never gave her the time to. By the end of the week, Drew had grown concerned as May gave up all talking about their plans for an uprising, and began to tell him that he should get as much practice as he could, so he would win the year's tournament and be able to leave, then he would be able to meet her on the outside. She had begun to isolate herself and Drew from the group. The morning 8 days after the incident, Drew had visited May's room at her request early. She lay on the bed, still in her sleeping shorts and t shirt, making him blush slightly.

"You okay?" he asked, looking anywhere but at her.

"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you." She patted the space beside her. Suddenly remembering all of his concerns from the past week, Drew quickly shook his head, to May's surprise.

"No. I know you don't like it, May, but we have to go down to breakfast and sit with the group. You're isolating yourself, and this has to be sorted at some point. Your friends miss you, and I know you miss them. Come to breakfast with me. For me."

May's face twisted, but she didn't argue. Drew could read the pain on her face, even a week after it happened, as the words still stung her whenever she thought about it. She'd spent the week trying to convince Drew that her feelings for Ash hadn't been that strong anyway, but he wasn't stupid, and didn't believe a word of it. Every time his name was mentioned she would wince. Every time she thought of him her smile would drop, no matter how hard she tried to fake it. She couldn't hide it. She was broken.

"Okay. Turn around then."

Turning around, Drew heard May changing behind him, and didn't turn until she told him to, just as she pulled her zip up past her chest, meaning he caught a glance and blushed profusely. She slipped on her shoes and gestured to the door. She didn't want to be the first one to leave.

They walked down the corridor hand in hand. May liked to hold Drew's hand. It almost distracted her from the pain she constantly felt. Once they reached the canteen door, May hesitated. She hadn't sat with her group in eight days, and she was nervous to see Ash again. The thought brought butterflies to her stomach, and a sudden wave of nausea overcame her.

"Are you okay?" Drew asked, lifting her head from under her chin gently. With a wavering fake smile she nodded, and Drew pushed open the door. Their friends looked over right away. A smile spread across Dawn's face as she saw May, and May could have cried seeing how happy her friend was at her appearance. Under any other circumstances, May most likely would have ran to her friend and threw her arms around her. This time, May kept her head down as they walked towards them.

"Hey guys," Drew greeted them as they sat. The empty seats had been next to Ash, and he found it weird that Drew sat between himself and May. Perhaps he was just being protective.

"Hey Drew," Paul grumbled. Serena continued to talk about a topic she'd been ranting about before the pair had arrived. She had watched some show on television about a couple that travelled around all of the regions together. May barely listened as the blonde chatted away.

"Wouldn't it be cute if you and Paul could be like that, Dawn?" Ash teased playfully, a smirk on his face. May looked up, mildly interested, and Dawn spluttered, almost choking on her food.

"H-Hey! Paul and I aren't like that!"

"Sure, whatever you say," Ash said, winking in her direction. Dawn's face turned the brightest shade of red and she struggled to hide it from Paul, who was sat beside her.

"Well… Well I could say the same about you and Misty!" She shouted sporadically. May's eyes shot up and she glared at her friend. As Dawn's face cooled, and she realised what she said, she opened her mouth to speak, but May had already turned to Ash, ready to hear his response. Ash gave no response, only tilted his head slightly.

"What do you mean?"

Dawn settled back into her seat, looking equally as confused, and raised an eyebrow. "Um… What? I mean, the two of you are a couple. That was the joke."

Ash coughed out a laugh, startling May and grabbing the attention of both Drew and Dawn. May could do nothing but blink and stare as the hope began to build back up inside her, making her feel slightly giddy. _Maybe…_

"What's so funny?" she asked, and Ash turned to face her, a strange expression on his face. Her heart began to race as looking into the eyes of her friend made her want to jump into his arms, hug him and never let go. After a week of no contact, only now did she realise just how much she desperately missed him. She silently tried to work out what his expression meant. If she could have seen her own, she'd have noticed they were exactly identical.

"You don't seriously think Misty and I are…?"

May felt her heart skip a beat as the pieces of it were put back together with every word he spoke. "Uh… yeah, I mean you are, right? That's what I heard." May's heart raced as fast as ever as she waited for his response, desperate to hear that it was all a rumour and none of it was true.

Ash sighed. "No. She tells people that we are. She's asked me to be with her a few times, and I always let her down gently, but somehow she takes it as a yes. We've never, um… kissed or anything, so no, not really."

May turned away from him and to her plate to hide the fact that a giant smile had spread across her face.

Ash, suddenly seeming distressed, rose in his space and sighed. "I better go talk to her, actually. Catch you guys later."

May's smile only slightly dropped as she watched him begin to leave. Looking around, she noticed Misty sitting at another table in the room. Ash had left through the door.

"Uh, if he wanted to talk to Misty, surely he should have went to his table?" Serena asked, pointing to Misty. Before anyone could reply to her, May had pushed herself up too and was clambering over the bench clumsily and in a hurry.

"Excuse me," she mumbled, abandoning her plate and walking as quickly as she could in the direction he had just left in. When she reached the door she began to jog towards the main door. She spotted him just as he left, and ran to catch up, pushing open the double doors onto the field, which was deserted as everyone ate breakfast. Hearing the doors fly open, he turned to check who it was, and the strange expression was on his face once again. May froze on the spot and stood facing him. His expression softened as she stood before him, and she raced towards him, throwing her arms around his neck and pushing herself against him suddenly. The tears began to flow before she could stop them, and she buried her head in his chest. He held her close to his chest, letting her cry into him and placed one hand on the back of her head.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I'm sorry for not talking to you. I… I missed you."

She couldn't see his expression, but pressed against his chest, she was sure his heart rate began to quicken. "Don't be silly, May." Placing his hands on her shoulders, he gently pushed her back so he could look down into her eyes. "We're best friends, remember?"

Wiping her eyes on the back of her hand, May smiled and giggled through her tears. Looking up at Ash's smile, she forgot all the problems she'd worried about the past week, and everything around her no longer mattered. All that mattered was that Ash was here, Ash wasn't mad, and they were still best friends.

The next few weeks passed quickly and were uneventful. Ash and May had grown ever closer, often seen running around the halls together, pulling pranks on one another, lying by the lake talking for hours or sneaking into one another's rooms to talk. May maintained her relationship with Drew to prevent the rumours from spreading, and spent the time she was away from Ash with him, though they were a calmer pair. While Ash and May ran amok, causing trouble and being loud, May and Drew were quieter and calmer. Often they would visit the social area while everyone else ate and sit together until May fell asleep on his chest.

They had begun to meet again after dinner. Dawn had practiced her new-found ability, and had managed to turn TVs off, control lights and even permanently break electrical items. The rest had made little progress, but May was no longer afraid. Most of her time she thought about Ash, and how happy she was when she was messing around with him. Most of the time she had no worries, and most of the time she wanted nothing but to be by Ash's side. She felt safe beside him, and loved it when he would put his arm around her playfully when people would question their friendship. They would ask how they could possibly friends, and Ash would always say "she's my little flame" jokingly, and May would have to hide her face so she wouldn't be seen blushing furiously.

Ash and May had just returned from the lake three weeks after they'd made up. Drew would sometimes wait at the door for her to return, and today he was waiting there again. She was a little late today, as she and Ash had gotten carried away trying to carve Pokemon from branches in the forest. The sky was already dark, but it wasn't cold.

"Hey Drew," she greeted as the approached the door, which he was leaning against. "Bye, Ash!"

Ash waved his hand but didn't look back as he pushed through the double doors, and Drew pushed himself off from the wall, sticking his hands in his pockets and smiling, "Hey. Wanna go for a walk since it isn't cold? We don't have to go far."

"A walk?" It was a strange request from Drew. "Sure, we can do that if you'd like. Where are we going?"

Taking her hand, Drew began to walk towards the forest. Being in the forest in the dark did scare May a little, but she trusted Drew enough to look after her. Drew didn't speak much in the short walk to the woods, and when they reached them he immediately sat against the trunk of a tree that face back towards the building, and gestured for May to join him. She sat back against the trunk, letting him put his arm around her. He didn't speak, just sat, staring up at the few stars you could see in the gaps of cloud. May closed her eyes, feeling suddenly very tired.

"Don't fall asleep," Drew giggled. She turned to face him, looking up into his eyes. _What kind of position is this to be in with somebody. I've been wondering for over a month whether I can turn these thoughts into real feelings… Well if it were to happen, it would have happened by now, surely? Do I love him? I need to know, because people have accepted Ash and I… there's no need for this to carry on unless I truly want to be with him…_

"Are you okay, May?" Drew asked, concerned. "You're staring blankly at me."

"Yeah, sorry." She blinked hard, snapping herself out of her trance. "Just thinking a lot."

"What are you thinking about?"

 _You've got to know. Do it now. You need to know._

May and Drew never kissed, except when they were in front of people and hadn't done it in a while. It was never necessary, though they did cuddle and hug, but they'd always been close enough friends to do that anyway. Now, May took advantage of her settings, and leaned up towards him. Startled, a flustered Drew leaned in too, confused and excited, and their lips met. She felt his hand move to behind her head, and his mouth opened slightly to greet her kiss. They kissed again. She had never kissed anyone this way before, and she knew if she loved Drew she would feel something. Perhaps her heart would race, she would feel an immense heat in her chest and her face, and she would never want it to end. She waited. They kissed. She felt nothing.

Pulling away, May began to get up suddenly. "I'm sorry." She almost tripped and she hurried to rise. "I can't do this anymore Drew. I can't do this anymore. It's not fair. It's not fair on you and I've really tried to make myself love you because I want to but-"

"But you love Ash," he cut her off, still sitting. "I get it May. I knew the end was coming anyway, now that people have accepted your friendship with Ash completely."

"I'm sorry, Drew." May turned to run. His words had been kind but his face had been hard and cold. Willing herself not to cry, she sprinted for the doors, and didn't stop once she made it inside. She made it to the elevator and smashed the button, shaking as she waited for it. As the doors began to open, she felt a hand grab her wrist and panicked, snatching it away, turning to face what she thought was Drew.

"May, are you okay?" It was Dawn. May relaxed. "Come on, everyone's together in the social area. There was a good movie on, so we figured we'd watch it together."

Smiling, May was no longer tense, and faked a smile. "Sure, I'll come. Thanks for coming to get me."

"Don't be crazy, I wouldn't let you miss it!"

When the pair arrived at the room, May was greeted by warm smiles from all of her friends besides Paul, who gave a little nod as a greeting. She smiled back, realising herself that it looked painfully fake.

"What's wrong?" Serena asked, jumping from her seat to meet May at the door. "Oh you look terribly sad! What's happened?"

May swallowed hard. She stole a glance at Ash, who was looking right back at her, and blushed for a second. "Well…" She sighed, sinking down to sit beside Dawn. "Drew and I aren't going to keep the act up anymore. I left him." She looked across subtly at Ash to check his reaction, but he seemed to have looked away. She felt a lump form in her throat.

"Oh, are you okay?" Dawn asked, placing her hand on her friend's arm. "That can't be easy for either of you after all that time."

"I'm okay. I just hope he is. I'm the one that ended it after all." May sighed. "But it didn't seem worth it anymore… leading him on, I mean."

"You're right, there was no point dragging it on for any longer than it was needed. The longer you waited, the harder it would have been. Besides, I've thought of a new strategy to advance with our plans."

Dawn had successfully gathered everyone's attention with her last statement. Only May had noticed the little smirk playing on her lips, and her heart began to race slightly. Dawn only ever had that look if she'd planned something reckless, something crazy. She could only brace herself for the worst and nod in acknowledgement. Dawn put her hands together, a smile on her face as she acted as innocent as she could manage.

"Well, people have accepted your friendship, right?" She gestured to Ash and May. They both nodded in response. Dawn struggled to hide her grin. "That's why you take it to the next level."

Dread filled May's heart. _What is she playing at? What does she mean?_ In the silence, May avoided all eye contact with Ash and refused to be the first to speak. It was Ash that spoke up from across the circle. "What do you mean, Dawn?"

"Like May and Drew did. An act. To see if people will accept it. That way, if they do, you know it's time to start acting. To start gathering people."

"You want May and I to act as if we're in a relationship?"

"Precisely."

May's heart was racing so fast she could hear it beating in her ears and her stomach flipped madly. She knew her face was burning up, she could only pray no one would notice. A moment of silence that seemed to last forever followed, and tears pricked up in the corner of her eyes, until Ash spoke up again, and she felt her heart jump from her chest.

"Okay."

"Is that a yes?" Dawn asked, unable to hide the excitement in her tone.

"Yeah," Ash answered. "Sure. I can see that working, unless people don't accept it."

"Good!" Dawn turned to May. "Well?"

May looked up at Dawn but kept her head down. She couldn't bear to show her bright red face. "Well what?"

"Well get over there and act like it!"

Ash was sat on another sofa quite some way across the room. She couldn't see his face, but she could feel his eyes on her. Dawn's request sent a shiver down her, and while she felt sick from nerves, a giddy excitement rose within her, and part of her wanted to run over and completely embrace this excuse. Part of her hated Dawn, but another part loved her. She wanted to run over and kiss him, knowing she would get away with it. _Will he even kiss me? Will I actually get to…_

Snapping out of it, May rose from the seat on the sofa she'd taken beside Dawn. Slowly she shuffled across the room, mostly keeping her head down, until she was by the empty seat beside him. Nervously she sat down stiffly, still a few inches away from him with her hands in her lap, staring forward awkwardly. Ash made a strange sound like a giggle and suddenly she felt his arm around her side, pulling her in towards him. She let him, and he dragged her as close as he could, so that their legs rubbed together, and kept his arm around her. Hesitantly, May let herself sink and lay her head against his chest, feeling her heart explode every time he made a move. She had never felt so strongly in her life. Even just lying there against his chest she knew this was how she'd expected to feel when she kissed Drew. She never wanted to move again. She closed her eyes and embraced the feeling, never wanting it to end. The warmth rose from her chest to her face and she felt more content than she ever had, with her heart fluttering and craving his warmth more. Forgetting herself, May snuggled herself against his chest more, smiling, and closed her eyes. He began to rub her shoulder, and she lay like that for what seemed like days, but was only twenty minutes. She almost drifted off to sleep, when she heard them speak over the film quietly.

"Is she asleep?" Serena asked quietly.

"I think so," Ash whispered, so not to wake her, and rubbed her shoulder gently. It fell silent again as they went back to watching the film, and May prepared to drift off when she felt Ash grip her shoulder a little tighter, and his lips against the back of her head. Her heart leapt into action, and it took all her willpower not to pull away and kiss him. Instead she lay, a massive grin spread across her face in the dark, and prayed for this to never end.

She woke confused and disoriented to a slight shake on her shoulder. The lights were on now, and she could see that everyone had left but Ash, who she still lay on. Suddenly embarrassed she sat up, brushing herself off and composing herself, but he didn't seem to be bothered at all. Instead, he wore his usual smile that was always on when they messed around together.

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you but a guard threatened to kick us out."

May smiled, running her hands through her hair, and yawned. "It's okay."

He seemed to hesitate for a moment and she dropped her hand, watching him intently. "I hope you're okay with this, May. I mean I know it's crazy but Dawn has a point. It could be beneficial."

 _If only you knew…_ "Don't worry, I mean, I'm used to it now," she joked. Ash didn't laugh, just gave her a small smile, and her face dropped. "I'm kidding. Though for this to work you have to promise it won't be awkward."

"Things could never be awkward really, best friends remember?"

May's heart dropped a little at the word _friend._ She needed to consistently remind herself that this was just an act. She could enjoy it while it lasted, but she shouldn't get used to it or attached. _After all, the chances of him having any feelings for me… are very slim._

"Right!" She smiled wide. "Best friends. Though we can't act that way in public now…"

"Sure we can." Ash shrugged. "We can still play around, we just have to… do extra stuff too, I guess. You'll have to teach me how though." Ash chuckled.

May giggled too, and it fell silent. She thought back to how it felt when he pulled her towards him, all his warmth surrounding her and her heart… it felt so right. She wanted to curl up with him again, but she couldn't. Her heart felt as if it were being tugged in every direction. In the silence May inched closer to him again, and his face grew serious, confusion in his eyes. She shifted her hand slowly, her fingers feeling for his, and placed her hand on top of his, their fingers still apart. Then, she began to lean in, closing her eyes and holding back the nerves that made her want to run. She didn't dare check if he was leaning in too. Feeling his breath on her face confirmed he was, and her heart almost exploded as their lips moved ever closer together.

The door flew open, banging against the wall behind it, and May's eyes shot open again. Ash had already turned away. An angry guard's face peered around the corner.

"I thought I told you kids to get out! So get out! Pronto!"

May glanced at Ash, who for the first time, as far as she'd seen, looked embarrassed. May swore she could see a blush spread across his face but he did well to hide it from her, so she couldn't tell. They rose in silence and headed for the door where the guard waited impatiently, and turned opposite ways to head for their separate rooms.

The next day, as the group sat together in the social area, with Dawn flicking through the channels without a remote. Drew seemed distant, and never stopped glancing towards the new pair. He knew it was just an act, like he and May had been, but he knew that for May it was the same as it had been for him. She wanted it to be real. He was jealous, but he also didn't want to see her hurt. He didn't know if May was strong enough to deal with the hurt after like he was. For now, they weren't cuddling or touching. They seemed the same as they had been before- just best friends. Still, Drew knew they'd have to act in front of others, and he'd have to watch.

"I've had an idea."

Dawn glanced up at Paul, who'd spoken for the first time in an hour. "Huh?"

"Remember those girls that escaped? Well, they must have gotten out somehow. I was thinking maybe we should search for the way out. You know, just so we have an idea of where to go when everything starts."

"Surely they'll have fixed it up by now," Ash spoke from beside Paul. The two had become good friends in the past few weeks. "They wouldn't leave it open for someone else to do the same."

"You never know until you look." Paul shrugged. "I just thought we'd have noticed if they'd patched up part of the wall since. I mean, they'd need trucks and stuff, right? Just an idea."

"I like the idea." May sat up suddenly. "I'd almost forgotten about it. It's worth looking, even if we find nothing."

"How will we cover the whole area?" Serena joined in. "Go in pairs and check separate parts of the wall?"

"Great idea, Serena. Hmm…" Glancing awkwardly at Ash, May swallowed hard. "I'll go with Ash. Dawn… you want to go with Paul?"

"Sure."

She stood, pushing herself from the sofa, a determined look on her face. "I want to go now."

"Now?" Ash glanced at the clock on the wall. "Are you sure?"

"It's only 4. If we move quickly we can cover the wall before it's too dark."

"I guess you're right. We'll do the left hand side, Dawn and Paul you'll go to the back and cover there if that's okay. Serena and Drew can do the right hand side. If it starts to get dark, come back." Ash stood now too, glancing down at his partner. She gave him a determined nod. In her head, a million thoughts were swirling around. _It's so close now… When we leave, will I ever see him again? Will he want to see me? He said we'd be best friends forever… But maybe that will just make things harder…_

"May?"

She snapped out of her daydream and sighed. "Sorry, I'm ready to go." She stuck her hands in her pockets and followed him. He continued to talk as they headed outside and turned left to begin at the beginning of the wall, but she was barely listening to him. Her mind was lost in her thoughts and worries. She could not stop worrying about if she'd ever see him again, and the very thought of it caused her heart to ache like it never had before.

It didn't take them long to reach the farthest corner of the wall. Reaching out to touch it, May looked up at the height of it. She ran her fingers along the cold brick, and Ash watched her with a stern look, with thoughts of his own intruding into his mind. May's hand dropped from the wall and she looked over to him, making him look away. She began to walk along the length of the wall, her hands back into her pockets. He walked a step behind her, his head back, looking up at the wall. They'd fallen into a comfortable silence, and walked that way for half an hour.

As they entered the forest alongside the wall, Ash began to play with his powers in his hand, following blindly behind May, who hadn't stopped looking out the whole time. He was flicking drops of water around inside his hands when he noticed she'd stopped just before he bumped into her. He had no time to look up before she bolted off.

"May!" He called, too stunned for a second to run after her. He looked up, and ran after her through the trees, until he spotted what she was running towards. Amongst the trees, something stood out. It shone in what remained of the sun, and stood almost as tall as the trees. He continued running towards it, but stopped calling for her. Ahead, May had reached it, and had stopped dead still. As he caught up, his suspicions were confirmed. It was a metal fence. She reached out slowly.

"May!" He called, taking one final leap forward, and grabbed her hand from the air. "It could be an electric fence."

Blushing at the feeling of his hand around hers, May turned away to the fence. She knew it it had been here all along, she would have noticed it. There didn't seem to be any way through, but the fence was not long. It jutted out from the wall for a few feet, then connected a couple hundred yards across. Peering inside, May spotted what she'd been hoping to spot all along.

"Look!" She called, pointing between two trees. "You see that?"

Ash squinted to get a better look. Between the two trees was a source of light. A hole in the wall. It looked as though it had been smashed by some sort of large Pokémon, and was just large enough for someone to crouch through. He looked back to May, and noticed her hands were shaking violently.

"A Pokémon on the other side must have broken through accidentally. Ash… That's a way out."

"But the fence… It's definitely an electric fence, May. We can't touch it to climb over, and we need to know what's on the other side before we make any decisions."

"Maybe I could break through it?"

"No." Ash shook his head and crossed his arms, trying to think as practically as he could without getting excited. "They would notice before we began everything. The problem is… they're probably going to close this up as soon as possible. I'm surprised they haven't already."

"Then this is another dead end?" May asked, her face dropping. Ash bit his lip, and turned away. "Wait…"

He looked back towards her in curiosity. "What if…" May clicked her fingers suddenly. "Dawn could shut this off, couldn't she? Surely she could? But then what…?"

"I go through."

May's head shot up. "What? Are you crazy? No way!"

"May, someone's got to check what's on the other side and check the way to the nearest city before we can do anything. I'd rather I did than you."

"No." May shook her head violently, her voice cracking. Taking a step forward, Ash pulled her in towards his chest, not feeling embarrassed at all, and held her there for a moment, rubbing her back. He pushed her gently back and held her by her shoulders, smiling down at her.

"Let me do this. I'll come back, I promise. After all, how else are we going to get out of here together and explore Hoenn together?"

May's heart jumped in her chest and a lump formed in her chest. _Explore Hoenn together? Is he just saying that to cheer me up?_ Her tears stopped falling and she rubbed her eyes roughly with the back of her arm. "You… You want to explore Hoenn together?"

"I think it'd be a great idea. I always used to think of how I'd meet my best friend and we'd travel together if I lived a normal life. If I were to return to normal, that's still what I'd want. The only change… is that I'd already just my friend with me from the start."

May looked down, the word 'friend' hurting her once again. She didn't know what else she expected, but every time he said it it hurt a little more.

"Would you want to?" He asked after a moment of silence. May smiled back, snapping out of her trance.

"I'd love to."

"Then we have that to look forward to. So let me go. I'll come back before they notice."

Sighing heavily, May nodded reluctantly. "Okay. I'll get Dawn. Blaziken will take me on his back to find her, I shouldn't be too long."

Ash watched with anticipation as May called out Blaziken and he lifted her onto his back. The past few months had only made him want to leave more than ever, though in the back of his mind there was still doubt. Silently he worried that when they left May would leave, or he wouldn't be allowed to see her. In that moment, no one else crossed his mind. Blaziken ran off, its large strides taking her out of his view in no time.

Less than an hour later, May returned, running through the woods with Dawn and Paul at her side. Dawn froze at the sight of the fence, her jaw dropping, an intrigued but terrified look spread on her face.

"You're going over there… outside?" Dawn asked, turning to Ash. "Are you sure? You could be killed…"

"If you manage to shut down the fence, I'll be out and back before nightfall tomorrow. When the drone notices I'm missing they'll check for me, but seeing the electric fence whole, they'll think there's no way I could have gotten through there, and keep looking elsewhere. When I get back I'll say I was in the woods and fell asleep at around 1:30 or something."

Dawn seemed sceptical, but turned to the fence, surveying it. "What if I can't hold my focus for long enough, and the power returns to it before you make it over?"

Ash smiled. "I trust you."

Shaking slightly, Dawn looked up at the obstacle in their way, then at the hole in the wall. It was exciting and terrifying at the same time. She glanced at May to check her thoughts, but May was staring directly at Ash, a confusing look on her face. Ash didn't seem to notice she was staring. Dawn could only imagine how May felt with Ash taking such a risk.

"Alright. I'll do it."

Standing at the bottom of the fence, Ash waited expectedly. Dawn took a deep breath, trying to calm her shaking limbs. Next to her, May's worry seemed to be taking over, as she'd begun to shake a little too. Looking back to Ash, Dawn blew out, preparing herself, and turned her attention to the fence. Feeling the power from the fence being drawn towards herself, she gave a nod without tearing her gaze from the fence. Ash turned, reaching out slowly to touch the fence, and May held her breath. His fingers met the cold fence, and nothing happened. Knowing he had to act quickly, he immediately began to scale it, getting to the top quicker than any of them expected, and jumped over the other side, landing with a tumble on the other side. May exhaled.

"Hold it for a moment longer, Dawn, if you can," May pleaded, and ran towards the fence. Ash met her from the other side. She placed her hand on the fence on her side, and he did the same, their fingers meeting each other. "Please be careful," May pleaded. Realising this may give away too much, she spoke again, "I don't think I can handle losing my best friend now."

May thought she saw Ash frown for a second, but then his confident smile returned and he nodded. "I'll come back. There's no need to worry about me."

He removed his hand then, and May longed more than ever to be able to lean in, even through the fence, and kiss him before he left. But Ash had already turned away and begun to leave. She removed her hand, and stepped back. The fence turned on again, and May stood by it, watching Ash slip through the hole in the wall and disappear into the rest of the world.


	10. Gary

May burst into her room at exactly 1:59, panting and sweating. She bent over, her hands on her knees, while she caught her breath, then stood straight, just in time for the drone to enter her room and leave again. She'd been to Ash's room, to check if he'd returned yet. He hadn't. So now they would have been notified that he was missing and would be looking for him. They might even question her. She wouldn't be able to settle until he was back and safe. Though she worried, his speech before he left made her confident that everything would be okay after all. There was no way they'd search beyond the wall if there was no way out. She sighed and fell back onto her bed. She debated whether to curl up and sleep until she woke to him entering her room, and sitting by her on her bed, and she would sit up and throw her arms around him and feel his warmth, relieved that he had returned safely. She curled up, letting herself daydream about his return.

She woke again to the sound of her door opening and bolted upright expectantly. Light filtered into her room and revealed Dawn. May sighed slightly. Dawn flicked on the lightswitch.

"It's almost 5 now. I think we should go wait for him. They're currently searching the lakeside."

Pushing herself out of bed, May nodded and grabbed her shoes. She and Dawn met Paul, Drew and Serena outside, where the group headed towards where the fence was located. Soon Ash would return, and Dawn would need to be there to disable the fence for him. Nobody spoke as they entered the woods. May knew they'd reach the fence in just a little while, and he might already be waiting there for her. Nerves got the better of her, and she was feeling nothing but anxiety for him. All she wanted was his safe return. Nothing else mattered to her.

A little while later, May knew they were close. She began to speed up, and the others joined in to keep up with her. They were only a minute away when Paul, who was in the lead, stopped suddenly, holding his arm out to stop May from getting past him.

"Paul?"

"I heard something."

The group fell silent. After a moment, the sound came again. Voices. More than one. May's heart sank to the ground, and started to race as her legs became like jelly. Pushing past Paul's arm, she sprinted in the direction of the voices, pushing violently past branches, and burst out into the small clearing by the fence, only to be greeted by the sight she dreaded the most. On the other side of the fence, two guards had Ash by the arms. He seemed weak, and May noticed the blood on his face, even as it hung low. He could barely keep himself upright. Her adrenaline kicked in. The guard looked in her direction.

"Ash!" she cried out, her hand flying over her mouth. "Ash!"

"Keep out of this," one of the guards spoke. In the distance, another four guards had crawled back through the hole and stood behind them. "There's no need for you to be in trouble too."

Anger began to rise in May. She was fire type for a reason, and her temper had always been a prominent part of her personality. Overwhelming anger flooded her at the sight of the person she cared so much for in pain. Her chest began to feel heavy as she watched the guards drag Ash in the opposite direction. She cried out suddenly, running forward and holding her hands out, shooting fire in their direction. The heavy ball of fire struck the fence, but didn't break through. The guards turned now, dropping Ash onto the ground, and took out their weapons. Crying, May shot another fireball, this time breaking through the fence, and another which sent two of the guards flying. Before they had time to react, May was firing another, fury in her eyes. In a panic they scattered, but May found them one by one with her fireballs, not stopping when the last one tried to run. By now she'd stepped through the hole she made in the fence, and seeing the last guard fall, the anger dissipated, and May stared at the scene she'd caused in front of her. Crying still she ran to Ash's side, who was trying to rise but struggling, and took his face in her hands.

"May!" Dawn called from behind. May turned to her friends, and their faces were nothing but panic. May began to panic herself. _What are we gonna do… What are we gonna do?_

"Quick," Paul said, pushing through the gap in the broken fence. "We have to leave! Quickly! Drew, help me get Ash."

Drew and Paul rushed to Ash's side, pushing May out of the way gently. May's mind was flooded with panic and fear and worry for Ash. Time seemed to fly as the group rushed to the hole in the wall. A lump formed in her throat as she was the last one to crawl through, and she got down onto her hands and knees, crawling quickly out onto the other side, and burst out into the open. She was surrounded by an area which she'd never seen before, and in that moment she forgot the situation, and was completely in awe at her surroundings, her heart filled with satisfaction and excitement. She was outside. For the first time in almost 18 years, May saw the outside.

"Hurry May!" Drew called from ahead, and May rushed to his side. Ash had muttered something to Paul, and Paul nodded in understanding. They ran with Ash as fast as they could, soon hearing shouts behind them, but the shouts became more distant as they ran into the forest.

"Where are we going?" May asked as they ran. No one answered her. Paul wore a guilty look on his face. "Guys? Where are we going?!"

They ran for what seemed like forever, but in reality was only an hour, stopping to let Ash rest every now and then. They could no longer hear the guards, but knew they had to keep moving or they'd easily catch up. They kept their eyes peeled for other people that might recognise them, as they would most likely have appeared on the news as missing by now. It was hard to imagine they'd be able to stay away from people for long.

"Nowhere is safe," May cried as they ran, the tears suddenly streaming down her cheeks. "Someone will see us wherever we go."

"Don't worry." Paul seemed to be calm. "We're going somewhere safe."

Choosing not to question him, May continued to follow Paul, who had begun to walk now. Ahead, a sign told them they were headed to Petalburg city. May had seen photos of Petalburg on the TV, but she couldn't imagine what it would look like in real life. Her heart was racing again. Soon, they reached the top of the hill they'd been climbing, and May realised they were looking over the city. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of all the buildings and new places she'd never seen before. On the outskirts of town a mansion stood, closer to them than the city. Paul set off down the hill.

"We're going to Petalburg?" May asked Paul as they walked quickly, almost reaching the mansion. "What are we gonna do there?"

"We're not going to Petalburg," Paul replied cooly. "We're going there." He nodded in the direction of the mansion. They had almost reached the gates. Suddenly, Ash stood on his own, although he swayed, and turned to May. Her heart caught in her throat.

"May… There's something you need to know."

"Yeah?" May squeaked, frightened of what he had to say.

"This is your home."

May's heart stopped, and she could not reply. The shock of his words hit her quickly, and she froze like a statue. "I came here when I left." Ash continued to speak. "I noticed the sign outside read Maple, and that's your surname. This is where your parents live. I know it might be a bit much for you to take in… that you're going to meet your parents, but they're the only hope we have. Except, you're going to have to go in first… incase."

May still could not find words to reply. She stared up at the mansion she'd just been told was her home, and the vast gardens surrounding it. The huge metal gate was shut, and a guard stood by it. From the trees they were not visible.

"O-Okay…" May spoke, still stunned, and walked out towards the gate, leaving her friends behind. She walked, her eyes wide open, up towards the gate, where the guard dropped the phone he'd been holding as he caught sight of her, and fumbled around for the key, speaking to May, but she was so shocked and frightened she could not hear him. He unlocked the gate, and she walked inside. He walked beside her, a look of shock on his own face too, until they'd climbed the steps up to the main entrance and stood by the door. He pressed a button by the door and spoke into a speaker, but she didn't listen. The door slid open, and he entered, leaving May outside. The open doors revealed a large main room, with two flights of stairs in the centre leading up to the second floor, and a number of doors around the room leading to other rooms. The floor was larger than even the canteens had been in The Arena. May caught her breath. At the foot of the stairs, a woman came around the corner, with auburn hair curled around her shoulders.

They stared at one another. The woman blinked in shock, and then began to cry. She ran towards May, and before May could react the woman's arms were around her. She was a little shorter than May was, but the heels on her feet meant she was around the same size. May's arms hung by her side until the woman moved away, keeping her hands on May's shoulders and looking her up and down.

"You've turned into such a beautiful young lady, haven't you? I've missed you so much, May."

"Mom?"

Caroline laughed slightly through her tears. "Yeah, that's right. I've waited 18 years for you to come home, but…"

Suddenly she stopped, and fear spread through May again. It wasn't her birthday yet. She was still 17, and she knew Caroline had just realised.

"Your birthday hasn't passed yet… they let you out early?"

"About that…" May finally spoke. "I… I need your help."

"Oh God…" Caroline's face dropped. "What's happened?"

"I had to run away… Because…" May began to cry again, and her mother kept her hand on her shoulder, offering her comfort as she listened to her explain about her friends, and the plan they'd made, and how things had gone wrong. May spared her the details of her fake relationships, and failed to mention that one of her friends was a water type. She wasn't sure if that was allowed in the outside world. Her mom listened intently until she was finished and pulled May in for another hug.

"God, I never agreed with that place… I always wished there was something we could do about it, but even we were powerless against those people… Where are your friends now, May?"

"They're waiting outside. Please, I can't see them get taken back. They'll be killed for running away with me…"

Caroline sighed, her face twisted in thought. May prayed her mother would let her friends inside.

"Let them in," she said to the guard. May exhaled deeply in relief.

"Thank you." She sniffed, rubbing her eyes. She was still afraid and in shock, but the situation was beginning to sink in now. She was home, and her friends were with her. A moment later the guard returned, with her friends behind him. May ran to Dawn, throwing her arms around her friend, who returned her tight hug. Caroline stood watching as May pulled away and then turned to Ash. Ash gave her a smile to let her know he was okay, and May couldn't help but throw herself at her head resting on his chest she hugged him even tighter than she had hugged Dawn, feeling nothing but relief and love. When she turned back, her mom didn't seem angry. Nobody knew what to say. The guard closed the doors and Caroline stood before the group.

"My doors are always open to friends of May. I have plenty of spare bedrooms right now besides May's. I'll show you where to go."

They followed Caroline in silence up the flight of stairs and through a door to a corridor of bedrooms. She pointed out which was May's, and left the group alone to call May's father and let them rest. When the door behind them shut, May sunk back against it.

"Holy shit, May, this house is huge…" Drew muttered, looking around.

May took Dawn's hand and headed in the direction of her room, letting the others decide which room they'd stay in. When they opened May's bedroom door, they were greeted with a ridiculously large bedroom, with a king sized bed in the centre, and wardrobes all around. A desk was littered with a number of different accessories and Pokémon plushies. The high ceiling was embellished with little stars that would light up. In the back corner a large white sofa sat underneath the window. Dawn stared in awe, while May headed into her room and threw off

"You think they have clothes for you?"

"Probably," May answered, heading to the wardrobe. "They probably send you the information you need before you turn 18 when you're like me…"

She flung open the wardrobe, and was greeted by more outfits than anybody would ever need. Dawn squeaked behind her in joy. May flicked through an array of dresses, blouses and skirts until she found a light pink blouse and high waisted black shorts.

"You should pick something too, Dawn. They'll fit you. While you're looking I'm gonna get changed."

Leaving Dawn to look in excitement, May pulled off the tight suit she'd worn her whole life. She pulled up her shorts and buttoned up the blouse, tucking it into the shorts at the waist, and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn't help but wonder if this would impress Ash. When she finished, Dawn was still looking.

"I'm gonna go see Ash…" May spoke.

"Okay, May, I heard him say he was taking the room at the end of the corridor on the right."

After thanking Dawn, May left the room again, nervous this time. After everything that had happened, May was still only thinking about Ash. After all the worry over him, she knew for sure that she loved him more than anything in the world. She had been so scared of losing him, she'd been ready to sacrifice herself in order to save him.

 _I have to tell him how I feel. Now that we're out of the arena, we don't have to pretend that we're a couple and things will go back to normal… I don't know if I can do it._

She reached his door and knocked gently. Ash answered, still wearing his suit, and turned away quickly. Confused, May tilted her head. Ash cleared his throat.

"Come in," he mumbled without looking at her, and turned back inside his room. Confused, May followed him inside and pushed the door shut. His room was not quite as big, but still big enough. May walked over to the bed and sat down, watching him as he stood looking out the window.

"Ash…" she started, her heart hammering inside her chest. _You have to tell him._

He turned to her, an unreadable expression on his face, and she swallowed hard, her nerves getting worse with every passing second. _I can't do it…_

"About the other day, when I fell asleep on you, and when I woke up I… I seemed like I was going to…"

"I get it," Ash spoke suddenly.

"Huh?"

"You were going to practice so we wouldn't look awkward in front of people later on. It's alright, I get it."

May mentally cursed him. _Is that why he was going to return it, because he thought I wanted to practice? Man…_

"Well, I, ah…" May stuttered, looking away. Ash blinked. "No, that's not… not what I was gonna say…"

"Oh," Ash spoke again, "then what was it?"

May's face felt too warm, and the nerves had taken over her now. Her heart raced faster than ever in her chest, and she sat in silence. Ash walked over to her, sitting beside her on the bed and looked down at her.

"You can tell me, May. Whatever it is."

 _It's easy for you to say that…_

"It doesn't matter," May rose from the bed again, leaving him sitting alone. "It was nothing really. Besides, we don't have to worry about that now that we're out anyway, right?"

"Uh, right," Ash said, scratching the back of his head, oblivious to her strange and nervous actions.

 _I have to get out of here._

"Sorry to bother you. I should go back to Dawn now." May stood, looking anywhere but at him. He didn't respond, but May didn't dare turn back to check his expression. Her feelings for him were becoming overwhelming, and were beginning to crush her, so much so that it may have been noticeable, and things were beginning to change between them because she couldn't bring herself to tell him. As she reached the door, it flew open, and Serena stood at the other side, looking flustered.

"May, you lucky girl!" she cried, looking comically disappointed. "He is so handsome!"

May blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"I just overheard your mom talking to your fiancé to be! I never knew that princesses had their partners chosen for them, it must be a tradition huh?"

Just as she thought she couldn't feel any worse, her heart was torn from her chest once again. This time, it felt as though her words had taken it and smashed it into pieces on the floor in front of her, into too many pieces to ever put it back together away. She choked back tears that had quickly formed in her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, trying desperately to hide her fear.

"You mean you didn't know? Oh… sorry. It must be a tradition for arranged marriages to be held between the children of the leaders. I overheard your mom talking to this cute guy that had travelled here to talk to her and stayed last night. She was telling him you'd come home early, and I thought I'd warn you 'cause he said he's coming to meet you."

"Oh f-"

The sound of footsteps upon the stairs alerted both girls, and Serena scrambled away from the door towards her own room. May looked back at Ash across her shoulder, but he was sat silently, his hands in his lap, looking down at the floor. A lump quickly formed in her throat, and she felt her heart being pulled in a million different directions. All she wanted was to run to him and tell him none of this mattered, that she wanted to run away with him. _There's no chance we can ever be together now…_

She barely had time to turn back to the door, before she was greeted by a deep, smooth voice she'd never heard before.

"You must be May, right?"

He stood a few feet ahead of her, his hands stuck casually in his pockets, leaning against the doorframe. He was the same height as Ash, so the top of her head would just reach his nose. His jawline was impressive, to say the least. His eyes were like Ash's too, a deep brown, except his hair was a similar colour to her own.

"I'm Gary," he spoke again, offering his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too, Gary."

Gary turned suddenly to Ash, who had looked up and was staring at them. He looked as though he might say something, but then turned back to May again, and smiled slightly.

"Sorry, I know this is sudden, I was just wondering if we could talk?"

"Uh… sure."

"Alright, follow me."

May was still stunned, and the news hadn't quite sunk in yet for her. Gary turned and walked for the stairs. May stood a moment later, debating whether to turn back to Ash and say something. After a second she walked away, closing his door carefully behind her, and followed Gary down the stairs and out into the gardens. She walked a pace behind Gary, her hands clasped together behind her back, and she kept wringing them in nervousness. He didn't speak as they walked.

Back in his room, Ash watched May walk away through the gardens from the window, down the stairs into the beginning of the extensive maze of flowers and trees, completed with fountains and other decorations. They didn't seem to be talking, but May kept looking towards Gary, watching him move in curiosity. Ash wondered if she was looking because she thought he looked nice. Sighing, he forced himself to move away from the window and went back to sitting on his bed alone.

Gary continued to walk past the flower gardens to the very back, where they met the wall that marked the end of the long garden. They'd been walking for five minutes, and had only just reached the edge. At the bottom of the garden was a large fountain that greatly outdid the rest, and behind it a swinging chair under a rose arch. Gary reached the chair but stood, waiting for May to sit first. Once she did, he took his place beside her, with quite a distance between him, and rested his arm casually on the back of the chair.

"I know this is sudden, I didn't expect it to be this soon either. My parents just sent me here to meet your parents- I had no idea you would be here too."

"Well, I'm not supposed to be here. I'm not 18 yet."

Gary blinked. "You what?"

"I escaped. The Arena I mean."

Gary stared at her in disbelief. "Past all the guards? And they didn't notice you missing at 2?"

"You know how it works in there?"

Gary sighed and nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. I was in there too."

"You were?" May's eyebrows furrowed. "I never saw you."

"I know. I saw you though, winning the beauty contest two years in a row. That's pretty impressive."

May blushed and turned away. "Yeah, well my friend Dawn forced me to participate in those. It wasn't my choice," she insisted. Gary chuckled, and May suddenly turned back to him. "So how old are you?"

"I'm 18," Gary started. "I was let out a little under a month ago. I believe the fact that we're a similar age is why we've been put together."

May's stomach flipped and a wave of nausea hit her. "So… About that… What exactly is going on?"

"It's been a tradition for as long as our families have been around. When we reach the age of 18 we're released, taught how to live in the real world, and arranged marriages take place between the sons and daughters of the leaders. When I got out my mom told me that I was to marry you, and I remembered you from in there, and it made me wish we'd met properly in there so at least this wouldn't be as weird."

"Did we ever talk?"

"Once," Gary answered quickly. "When we were 12. You were out by the lake with Dawn at the same time I was there with Ash."

May choked. "Ash? You knew Ash?"

"Yeah." Gary sighed again. "I knew Ash… And I want to ask why he is here, but also I don't."

"So are you guys friends?"

"We used to be. We grew up in there together, the same way you did with Drew I believe. I met him when I was just learning to talk and we were best friends from that moment on."

"Then what changed?"

Gary seemed hurt by the topic, but answered her nonetheless. "When we were 15, a mutual friend of ours won his right to be released. With him gone, we were both sad for a while, and we began to argue sometimes, about stupid stuff. Then one day when we were hanging out with Misty and Brock, Ash seemed to be acting as if I didn't exist at all, so I pushed him into the water to make him pay attention to me and he broke his arm when he fell. I felt so bad, but Ash was so mad. A week later, Ash sabotaged a judged battle I was participating in so that I would lose and wouldn't be able to compete for a place that year. That was his revenge. We haven't spoken since, just kind of… looked at each other angrily. When my mom told me it was you… I remembered you and Ash had become close friends in the arena… but obviously I didn't expect him to be here with you."

 _I don't suppose you expect me to be in love with him either…_

"He helped me to escape. He left through a hole in the wall and when I went to meet him the guards had him… so I got scared and used my powers… and we escaped."

They fell into a strange silence. Gary seemed calm, but May couldn't have been further from calm. Her mind was racing, trying its best to find some way for her to be with Ash still, or at least make everything okay. She was stuck.

"I don't want this to be awkward… I know… I know you love Drew so I'm sorry…"

May started, snapping out of her trance. "Oh no no, I don't love Drew. Drew is just my best friend. Drew and I were pretending to be together so people would stop the rumours about Ash and I."

"Oh, thank god. I thought that would really make it awkward, because I'm assuming he's here too."

"Yeah, he is."

Gary seemed like such a cool and calm person, but suddenly the atmosphere changed, and he seemed on edge, or nervous. May shifted awkwardly and waited for him to say what he was obviously wanting to say.

"That's good because… Well, I've never been in love with anyone, not many people in the arena get that, so at least there's a chance, we might… you know."

May's face turned bright red and she turned away again. Her heart ached in her chest. She felt awful. Now she had to decide whether she should tell him or not, or whether it'd be best to not say. After all, her chances with Ash were zero now, so what would be the point? _Perhaps it'd be better to keep it from him and see what happens…_

"Yeah. Maybe."

Gary seemed to relax. May didn't. "Well," he spoke up. "We better head back. It's getting dark. Your mom said she was making dinner."

"Alright." May smiled as best she could. Gary rose and offered his hand to her, which she nervously took, trying her best not to blush. She worried he'd keep her hand once she was up, but he let go, and they walked back to the house side by side again. This time, they engaged in casual conversation, and May found him interesting, and even began to chuckle and some of the awful jokes he told, still with her hands clasped behind her back, but they were relaxed this time around.

Inside the house, Ash had changed. He wore black jeans and a dark grey shirt, his messy black hair falling over his face. May turned away to hide her blush when she saw him, but he didn't seem to be looking. She figured it was because she was standing at Gary's side. Drew had changed too, into blue jeans and a white shirt. He smiled at her when they entered, and May quickly headed over to his side on his sofa to talk to him. Ash sat across the large living room, in front of the fire on his own. May wanted to go talk to him, but somehow it felt awkward. She smiled and waved goodbye at Gary, who stuck his hands in his pockets, smiled back and headed to another room.

"Who is that?" Drew asked quietly. May snuggled to his side, craving the safe feeling she had when he was with her.

"I didn't realise arranged marriages were a thing… but apparently that is my fiancé."

Thinking she wouldn't notice, Drew stole a glance over at Ash. She noticed. Sighing, she nodded sadly. "I know… I don't know what to do." Her voice wavered, and tears began to slide silently down her cheeks. Drew placed his arm around her shoulder, rubbing it to comfort her, and out of the corner of his eye noticed that Ash was watching them, and noticed how unhappy he seemed. For the first time he wondered whether May's feelings might be mutual.


	11. Not This Again

May woke early in the morning, screaming. She'd dreamt she was in the arena again, and they were dragging her away from everyone alone, and Ash and all her friends were disappearing into the distance. She bolted upright, breathing heavily. Her door quickly swung open, and Ash rushed in. Forgetting where she was, May looked around in a panic. Pushing the door almost shut, Ash quickly came to her side and sat on the edge of her bed.

"It's okay, we're at your house May."

May took a deep breath, and exhaled in relief. Then, the awkwardness of the situation hit her. She hadn't spoke to Ash since Gary had revealed himself the day before, and now he was sat by her side. She desperately wanted to put her arms around him, but instead she sat, the covers pulled up past her chest, looking at him.

"How are you?" she asked, gesturing at his arm, which she knew the guards had twisted badly.

"Better. It'll be fine. What about you? How… How are you, after everything?"

"I…" May started, wanting to tell him the truth. She was crushed. She wanted to be with him instead. "I'm fine… I guess. It's just… it's weird, if nothing else, I don't really know what to think about it all… by the way, I think Gary might have changed quite a bi-"

"Don't talk to me about Gary, May. I know him better than you do," he snapped suddenly. Hurt, May flinched slightly at his sour tone.

"Well don't you think you could give it a chance? Just talk to him and see what happens and-"

"No." Ash stood, suddenly stiff and angry. "It won't work. Trust me. It won't work. Now stop."

"Why are you being like this?" May asked, sounding a little angry herself. She pushed herself up and out of bed to stand up to him, even in her silk sleep shorts and shirt. "What is wrong with you?"

"No May, what's wrong with _you?_ " Ash hissed. May flinched again, visibly this time, but Ash seemed enraged by something she'd said. She fell silent. "You're defending him over me when you've known him for less than a day?"

"I'm not defending him, Ash, don't be stupid. I'm trying to make this easier for me. Come on, how am I supposed to deal with this if you won't talk to him?"

"You are defending him, May. I'm telling you I can't talk to him. I won't do it... Especially not now."

"What does that even mean?!" May cried, throwing an arm up. Ash's attitude angered her. "You can't even try for me?"

"You don't understand the situation. You're not being fair, May."

"And you're being an asshole!" she snapped. Ash winced. Instantly, her anger dissipated. He sighed. "Ash…" she spoke again. "Sorry…"

"It's okay. I get it. You just want to be able to talk to me still even when he's around, which he's going to be… a lot. I just don't know if I can."

"Why, Ash?" she spoke softly now, and took a step towards him. "People change."

"It's not that," he spoke again, looking down at her. He took a step towards her too, so that he was right in front of her, and lifted his hand to her face, pushing her hair gently behind her ear, his fingers brushing her cheek ever so slightly. May froze in place, stunned, but her heart raced. _Ash?_ "I don't care about that anymore."

May stayed frozen in place as his hand hovered by her ear, feeling sick with nerves as her heart almost beat out of her chest. She didn't know what to say, and Ash seemed to want to say something more, but stopped. He dropped his hand suddenly, looking down. May quickly snatched his hand up in both of hers and held it up.

"I want to help. Please tell me."

Ash smiled sadly. "I couldn't possibly tell you, May. Don't worry yourself about it."

"I am worried," May insisted, her voice shaking slightly from nerves. This was the most serious Ash had ever seemed, and it wasn't like him at all. Her hands had begun to shake, and she knew Ash would have noticed. "Come on."

He pulled his hand away gently, and a wide-eyed May stared up at him as he continued his sad smile. His hand was suddenly placed on her cheek, and he seemed to stop for a second, frozen in place with her. Stunned, May could only stare. Then he moved again, leaning down towards her slowly. Her heart quickened again and the lump in her throat caught. Nerves froze her on the spot as he leaned closer to her, gently pulling her head towards his. As he got closer she suddenly leaned up slightly, meeting him in the middle, and a wave of heat spread through her as his warm lips met her own. Feeling him respond, her mouth parted slightly to welcome his kiss, and he continued to kiss her gently. May felt as if she'd melted. This was unlike any kiss she'd had before. This felt real. This felt as if it completed her. This was what she'd waited for. The butterflies in her stomach didn't stop, and her whole body felt warm and light. The desire to kiss him didn't stop, even when he moved away from her after a second that seemed to last for hours to her. She froze, her mouth still open slightly.

Backing away, Ash looking terrified. "I'm sorry." May's heart stopped.

"Wait!" May called, but Ash had turned to hurry away. She ran after him, but he quickly turned the corner and passed Gary, who was headed towards her. If she were to call now, it would draw too much attention to her. Still breathing heavily, May could still feel his lips on her own, and the feeling that spread throughout her whole body, warming her up, making her want more.

"Are you okay?" Gary asked, noticing her expression.

May shook off the look, and tried her best to focus her attention of Gary when her lips were still tingling from Ash's kiss. "Yeah." She smiled. "I'm fine."

"Your mom wants to talk to us," Gary started, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It's probably about… you know."

"Yeah." May sighed. "Where is she?"

"She's waiting for us in the garden. I'll walk with you once you're dressed."

Blushing, May remembered the fact that she still wore her silk shorts and shirt that her mother had laid out for her on her bed. "Right, uh… wait here." She slipped back into her room and pushed the door shut. Feeling embarrassed enough already, she made sure to pick her clothes quickly, and went for a floral playsuit that she could just pull on. She brushed her hair quickly and looked at herself in the long mirror by her window. She felt she looked strange without anything in her hair, but didn't dare take the time to change it. She rushed back out to where Gary waited for her, and the two walked together to the gardens. The whole time they walked, May searched every room they passed for any sign of Ash. There was none.

 _How am I supposed to focus on this conversation with mother when that's just happened to me? Does this mean Ash feels the same way about me?_

The very idea sent a shiver down her, and butterflies began to flutter in her stomach. She forced back the smile that almost showed itself, and struggled with her blush. In the garden, her mom sat by the first fountain. Feeling suddenly awkward, May kept her head down as they approached and sat by her. Her mother had her hands clasped together in her lap, and May copied her pose, scared of doing something wrong.

"Good morning, May."

"Good morning."

Her mother's smile was almost sickly sweet, and obviously fake. "I'm sorry, May," she said, the smile faltering slightly. "I obviously didn't mean for you to find out about Gary this way, but now that you have I figured it was better that we talked about it."

She didn't know what to say, so May only nodded in response, looking to Gary for reassurance. He gave her a smile, and she trusted it somehow. She smiled back, and turned back to her mother.

"It's tradition for the sons and daughters of royal families to marry one another, and we picked Gary for you. Now that you're here, the wedding preparations will begin pretty soon. I know it's a lot for you to take in, but I trust that you've grown up a lot in that place…"

May nodded again, wringing her hands together in her lap, waiting for her mother to tell her the rest of the information so she could leave to find Ash, to figure out what was going on.

"Of course, we'll be expecting children too."

May choked and coughed slightly, clearing her throat awkwardly. After that comment she didn't dare look in Gary's direction, but he made no move or sound. "Soon?"

Her mother shrugged and sighed. "Me, I don't mind. It's your father that will be expecting it… He really believes in the tradition, he'll most likely expect that to be soon, yes."

The reality of the situation hit May hard in the chest. She had to figure out a way out of this, and soon, or else she'd be tied down with Gary, and there would be no way of her ever being with Ash. May wasn't willing to give up yet, not now that Ash had suggested the feeling might be mutual. The three sat in silence for a moment.

"That's all I really needed to say. The rest can be said another day. For now, I hope the two of you spend some time together since you're here already, Gary."

Gary nodded and stood, and offered May his hand. May wouldn't have taken it, if it hadn't been for her mother watching them. She took his hand and he helped her up, then let go, much to her relief. May smiled towards her mother and gave her an acknowledging nod. She would have to walk back to the house with Gary at least, while she watched. Once inside, she'd rush to find Ash.

As she'd been planning, once she step foot inside the house, she made a rushed apology to Gary and ran off in the direction of the living room. Dawn sat reading something she'd picked up from the shelf while muttering to Paul, who sat next to her stiffly. There was no sign of Ash. She ran on to the dining room, which was completely empty, along with the kitchens. She headed for the winding stairs and sprinted up them, rushing straight to Ash's room. She pushed at the door once she reached it, but it wouldn't budge. May's heart leaped in her chest.

"Ash? It's me, I want to talk to you," she called and waited. She got no reply. Her lip began to tremble. "Ash, please. Not this again."

May prayed for any kind of response or noise from the other side, but she got nothing. Feeling her heart crumble, she put her back to the door and collapsed against it until she was sat on the floor. "I'm not moving until you answer me, Ash."

He still didn't respond. May drew up her knees and rested her head against them, preparing to wait patiently for him to crack. She waited, and waited more, but he still didn't respond. It felt as if time had stopped still as she stared forward down the stairs to the hallway. Then, time really did stand still for her.

She woke to Dawn shaking her shoulder hours later. Dazed, May blinked quickly, rubbing her eyes. "Huh? Dawn?"

"Serena told me she saw you sat up here and she was concerned. Are you okay?"

May pushed herself up from the floor to stand by her friend, and rubbed her hand roughly against her head, feeling more miserable than she ever had. "I… I think he's ignoring me again…" she muttered as low as she could. Dawn sighed, her eyebrows furrowed in concern, and stretched her arms, taking her friend up into them. May melted into Dawn's hug, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"Come on, May. Your mother made dinner." Keeping her arm around May, Dawn led her away from his door, looking back at it with a sigh. Her friend was in more trouble than she thought.

Ash continued to avoid her for three days. She finally caught sight of him when he appeared for breakfast the day after, but he wouldn't answer her, and always stuck around someone else so she couldn't say anything without drawing attention to herself. Each night, May returned to her room after spending the day hanging around with Dawn, and talking to Gary for a few hours, trying to get to know him, and cried. With each passing day, her hope that Ash had feelings for her too faded more and more. If he truly had feelings for her, she thought, he wouldn't be able to do this to her. _No, he regrets it, doesn't he? That's why he's doing this._

On the fourth day, May woke to a knock on her door early in the morning. She'd barely slept the night before, as she'd been trying to come to terms with the facts she was going to have to live with now. She and Gary were to be married. As soon as the whole thing was sorted out, Ash would leave, and she'd likely never see him again. Then, when she thought of those facts, all the memories she'd made with him would flood back into her mind. She'd picture them laughing together at the lake, splashing water at one another, or running around the corridors causing trouble, and her jumping on his back playfully, tackling him to the ground. Most prominent though was one of their first memories, when they showed each other their powers, and the night May sat by him with fire in her hands to keep him warm, and she first learned about him. She couldn't help but remember every time he'd touched her skin, whether by accident or just because they had become comfortable with one another. Then she couldn't help crying. Her eyes still felt puffy.

"Come in," she called groggily. The door slid carefully open, and Gary peered around the corner, almost shyly. Over the past few days, she'd grown more comfortable with Gary, and she could call him her friend now. He was okay, she'd found, aside from loving himself a little too much at times. He looked after her well, and didn't overstep boundaries. They had barely talked about the fact that they were to be married, and more often talked about themselves and their interests He'd never seemed shy, but here he was, looking shy.

"Good morning, May." He stepped inside, forgetting to close the door behind him. He approached her and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Good morning. What's up?"

"Oh, nothing." He shrugged. "I was just thinking."

May sat up, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Thinking about what?"

"Uh, about us." He paused, May took a deep breath. "I've been trying to get myself to accept the fact, you know, to realise it's what's got to happen."

"Yeah." May sighed. "I get that. I've been trying to do that too."

"I just wanted to let you know that if you need to talk about it you can actually talk to me. We're both going through this, so talk to me, okay? You've seemed kind of sad… and your eyes are really red this morning."

May looked down, hiding her face in embarrassment. "Thanks Gary. I'll be sure to talk to you if I need anything. And... same to you."

"Alright, good."

"May?"

Jumping at the new voice, both jumped and turned to May's mother, who'd appeared by the door, fully dressed. She glanced at the two, raised an eyebrow and smiled. May blushed. "I know it's sudden, but I have to go meet your father in Kanto to finalise some things with Gary's parents. I'll only be gone for a couple of days, and then I'll return with your father, who's eager to meet you again. Don't do anything silly, and I know you would never think about leaving, but just in case, do remember we have men stationed there."

"Alright, mom. See you soon." May smiled.

"Yes, look after her please Gary. See you both very soon."

Her mother pulled the door slightly closed as she left, dragging a suitcase behind her. Gary decided to stand as soon as she'd left, to go find something for breakfast.

"I'll see you downstairs," he muttered, and May nodded in reply. Gary hesitated, hovering there for a second, before bending unexpectedly and planting a light kiss on her forehead. May blushed, but didn't attempt to hide it, and simply smiled at him, though he seemed flustered as he rushed out of her room.

May expected Dawn to come next. She came to her room almost every morning to talk, and always asked why Ash was avoiding her. May always shrugged it off, saying she didn't know or that perhaps they were just growing apart due to her having to spend time with Gary. Just as expected, Dawn glided around the corner, throwing herself down in the bed beside May and pulling the covers over her bare legs.

"Good morning," May greeted her, her exhaustion apparent in her voice.

"Morning, what was Gary in here for?"

"Oh, nothing, just chatting to me. Did my mom tell you she was going away already?"

"No? She's leaving?"

"Yeah. She's left already I think, just for a couple of days."

"Well, this is perfect." Dawn clapped her hands together. Before May could begin to ask what she meant, Dawn spoke again. "I have the perfect idea. We're going to act like normal teenagers for once."

May scoffed. "And how would you know what normal teenagers do?"

Ignoring her comment, Dawn seemed deep in thought. Suddenly, a smirk appeared on her face, the same smirk May had grown used to. She'd had an idea. "We're going to play a game. Get dressed. I have a way to get Ash to talk to you."

May was suddenly terrified. Ash hadn't spoken to her in days, and with what happened before he did, the idea of talking to him made her stomach tighten. _What would I even say to him?_

"What kind of game?"

"You'll see. Get dressed and meet me in my room." Dawn jumped out of the bed and smiled widely at her friend before rushing out. Feeling slightly nauseous from nerves, May lifted herself out of bed and headed for her wardrobe, where she pulled out a comfy-looking jumper and black jeans. It looked cold outside today, and May was even slightly cold in her room. She brushed her hair quickly, and clipped in the bow that Serena had given her. She stared at herself for a few more moments before she could force herself to leave them room. She could hear Serena laughing in Dawn's room before she even left her own. As she stood in her doorway she took a deep breath before quickly striding towards Dawn's room, and uncomfortable look on her face, and pushed the door open abruptly. Everyone looked up at her as she did, and she noticed him first, sat under the window, against the wall, his knees drawn up. He seemed confused at the sight of her, and quickly turned to glare at Dawn, who shrugged sheepishly at him. May stood awkwardly in confusion until Dawn hurried over.

"I told him you weren't gonna come," she whispered into May's ear, "I didn't know if he'd come if I didn't."

May sighed and entered, sitting on the floor by Dawn's bed so she could lean back against it. She noticed the others had been positioned in a circle. In the middle, an empty bottle sat on its side. May's face twisted.

"What is this, Dawn?" she asked, looking to her friend, who was sitting down beside her. "What have you dragged me here for?" Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Ash was watching her and blushed slightly.

"We're going to play a game," Dawn answered, a grin spread right across her face. "It's called seven minutes, or something like that."

May grimaced. "How do you even know what this is?"

"I watched a lot of teen dramas on TV growing up, you know that." Dawn winked towards her, and May stole another glance across at Ash, who still would not look up, or smile, or even look remotely interested in anything around him. May lowered her own head.

"So I'm gonna start by spinning the bottle," Dawn started again, pointing at the empty bottle in the centre of the circle, "and the person it lands on spins it a second time, then the two people that it lands on go into the closet for seven minutes. I mean, you don't have to do anything but you can if you want."

 _When did Dawn get like this? Or is all of this to get Ash and I in there together? He doesn't seem to want to be here though…_

Dawn spun the bottle quickly and sat back in her position. The bottle span, and May found herself praying it wouldn't land on her. It began to slow as it passed Dawn, and eventually stopped in front of Drew. May sighed with relief. After some laughing and teasing, Drew span the bottle himself, and it stopped in front of Dawn. Dawn laughed, and the two stood, disappearing into the awkward silence descended on the group for a moment, until Gary spoke up to May.

"Little bit strange of her to call this so suddenly, right? I mean, I don't mind it. You know I'm not gonna do anything in there with anyone."

May forced an awkward half-smile. "Right."

"I think it's pretty fun," Serena spoke up, her usual giddy smile on her face. "We can, like, share secrets in there right?"

Gary chuckled. "I think you miss the point of this game. Though, you don't seem like the kind of friends that'd go in there any actually do anything."

"Nah," Paul muttered. "Nobody will actually do anything in there. Dawn is probably just getting restless being in here all day long."

"I don't blame her." Serena sighed. "I wish we could go outside too. We've finally gotten out, but we're still stuck in one place. I really want to be able to go out and explore."

"Eventually." Gary shrugged. "You'll get out of here soon, and then you can go wherever you like, I've been to Kanto. My parents live there in a house almost as big as this one. I had to get a ferry to Hoenn to come here, and the sea is so much better in real life than on TV."

Serena and Gary made the majority of the conversation in those long seven minutes. Neither Ash nor May spoke a word, and Ash didn't seem to look up the entire time. Eventually, Drew and Dawn emerged again, laughing.

"What did you do in there then, huh?" Serena asked. Dawn shrugged.

"Nothing. Drew told me stories about May that I hadn't known before."

May rolled her eyes in Drew's direction, and he smiled sheepishly in apology, rubbing the back of his head.

"Anyway, May, you spin it now." Dawn gestured to the bottle. With a lump in her throat, May leaned forward, hesitating with her hand on the bottle for a moment, before spinning it. She barely looked as she leaned back and the bottle began to slow, and edged closer to her. Her heart dropped. It landed on herself. She swallowed hard.

"Does that mean I have to spin it again?"

"Well, you're the first person in there. We'll see where it goes next. Spin it."

Nerves rising in her stomach, May leaned forward once again to spin the bottle. This time, she stared intently as it moved around, twice, and again, until it began to slow as it passed her, eventually coming to a stop. She looked up. It was Gary. Her nerves subsided slightly, but some lingered. Gary shrugged, standing, and held his hand out to help her up. She took it, letting him pull her up. As she rose, she looked to Ash, and he looked up at her for the first time, their eyes meeting for the first time since their kiss. Their contact seemed to last for minutes, but was over in a second, as he looked away again. Dawn failed to hide her sigh as Gary led May towards the closet, and closed the door behind them, shutting her friends out. She sighed, flattening out her shirt, and smiled awkwardly.

"Sooooo…" Gary awkwardly began, chuckling. He scratched the back of his head. "I've no idea what people usually do in here."

"Trust me, me neither, but I'm kind of glad to get out of the room for a second. There's something not quite right about the atmosphere in there for me."

"Oh, it's alright for me, but at least you get seven minutes rest, yeah. Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" May snapped her head up. "What makes you think that?"

"You've seemed kind of sad the past few days. I mean, unless that's what you're usually like?"

"No, I've been… I don't know." May smiled sadly and offered only a shrug. "It's just weird to be home, and have all this happening at once."

"I know how you feel. It was like that for me too, especially when they told me about you. I couldn't stop thinking about how you'd come out, and they'd tell you about me, and I could never stop thinking about what you'd think, and how weird it'd be when we met."

"At least it hasn't been so weird for you, huh?" May shrugged again. "It hasn't been for me, at least. Did it bother you, when they told you?"

"No, not really… Honestly, I've never loved anybody before, but maybe if I had it would have bothered me. If I wanted to be with someone else then couldn't, that'd bother me, but that's not the case. I never minded all that much, I mean… you're very smart, and very beautiful too, and you won that contest two years in a row."

May's cheeks turned a shade of pink. "Thank you," she stuttered awkwardly. The complement had been nice, but now she was back to thinking of Ash, and how hard this whole situation was for her. She wished with all her heart that she could find a way out, that there was an easy answer, but she knew deep down that there wasn't. Something had to give, and it wasn't going to be easy either way. Their conversation continued, shifting from themselves to others in the group frequently.

"Seven minutes is up!" Dawn called from the other side of the door. May smiled sheepishly up at Gary, who shrugged and pushed open the door. Immediately, May noticed the devilish look plastered on Dawn's face.

"What?"

"We already spun while you were in there. It was you and Ash."

May's heart sank to the floor. As much as she wanted to talk to Ash, and have the chance to explain herself, she hadn't had time to prepare what she would say. Besides, she didn't even know what she wanted to do yet. She'd enjoyed the kiss, but it wasn't right when she was engaged to Gary. _And yet I want it so bad… What do I do…_

"Sorry," May shook her head, striding quickly towards the exit. "I have to go. I don't feel well. Catch you guys later."

She shut the door behind her before Dawn had time to speak. She knew Dawn couldn't come chasing after her, or it'd draw attention to the situation going on behind the scenes. Instead, May had time to cry, and she'd spend the next few hours in her room doing just that.


	12. Giovanni

Dawn had knocked on May's door at least 4 times by the end of the night. After the third time she'd stopped counting and learned to block the sound out. She couldn't face Dawn's questions now- she just wanted the night to herself. She thought that perhaps thinking would help, that maybe she'd have some clue, but she was still as lost as before when she heard her friends entering their separate rooms to sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed, tried her best to focus on a book, anything to distract her, but nothing worked. Almost an hour after everyone else had retired to bed, May decided her best option would be to get some sleep. She lay in the dark, her eyes wide open, for what seemed like hours, trying her best to settle, but her mind whirred and worked, and tears threatened every so often that she had to choke back.

When May finally found sleep, it was a brief relief. She woke 25 minutes later, drenched in her own tears. _I was crying in my sleep too?_

She sat up, feeling her pillow was wet where her face had been. For a moment, she sat in the dark, her knees drawn up to her chest, and stared forward into nothing. She was exhausted, but there was nothing she could do about it. She was scared, but there was nothing she could do about it. She was upset, but she didn't expect that to end any time soon. It had been almost a week now since Ash had last spoken to her, and now it was beginning to tear her apart. _I need air…_

She jumped up and headed out, ignoring the fact that she still wore her sleep shorts and a t-shirt, being careful to stay quiet as she crept down the stairs and out the main entrance to the gardens. The sky was pitch black, but the moon illuminated the path enough for her to see where she stepped. In her mind, she picked a random direction and headed in it, wondering what she would find at the ends of the garden other than hedge. She continued to walk, past the flower beds and fountains, until she reached a steep slope. The bottom seemed to flow into a sea of trees that stretched as far as she could see. _So maybe there's no boundary on this side?_

May stepped, her bare feet enjoying the softer feel of the grass. The fresh air was helping to calm her, but she swore to herself she wouldn't go much further. The house wasn't too far behind her, but it was the middle of the night, and she had no idea what Pokémon would live in these woods. After a few moments she took a step onto the slope, but her foot failed to find solid ground. Instead, the soil crumbled beneath her and she lost her balance, letting out a scream. Slipping down the 25 foot slope she would almost certainly hit her head, and who knows how long it would take people to find her. She braced herself as her body left the ground, and waited for the impact. As the ground just began to scrape her heels and bare legs she felt a hand quickly clasp around her own, and she was suddenly dangling above the fall. With her heart in her throat, the pain in her legs was masked by fear, and she desperately clutched for the hand, that slowly pulled her up. Her breath still heavy, she flung herself against the person beside her and began to calm down as their arms wrapped around her. The smell was familiar. She jumped.

"Does it hurt?" Ash asked, the first words she'd heard from him in a week. Suddenly, the hug meant more to her, and the fall was pushed to the back of her mind.

"N-no, I'm okay, thank you," she said into his chest, and wondered whether she should move away. Ash didn't let go of her. "Ash?"

"Sorry," he said, pulling away. She looked up into his face and choked back the urge to throw herself against him again. "I was just really worried about you there. Come on, you're gonna have to get back and wash the mud off."

He started to walk away, and May tried to follow, the confusion growing by the second. As soon as she placed weight on her foot, a sharp pain spread throughout her leg and she fell to the floor, wincing. The ground was cold, and she felt pathetic as she tried to force herself back up before Ash noticed. By the time she had even begun to lift herself, he was by her side, looking down upon her.

"Put your arm around me, I'll help you," he offered. She noticed that there was something different about his tone now, as if he were permanently sad or concerned.

"I don't think I can rise…"

"Don't strain yourself," he spoke, leaning down towards her. "I'll carry you inside, I mean, if that's okay."

His arms were suddenly underneath her bare legs and behind her back as he lifted her against her chest. The warmth from his skin spread along her legs and she relaxed against his chest, her face burning red. Losing any cares in the world she lay her head against his chest and let herself enjoy the feeling of being beside him. She wanted to stay there forever, and enjoy the moment, but quickly drifted off to sleep.

She woke again in her bed, lying flat above the covers. She winced as she sat up, rubbing the back of her head painfully. The bathroom door was ajar, with light filtering out, and the sound of water running echoed.

"Ash?" she asked, trying to stand again. The pain shot through her leg as her weight landed on it and she shrieked, crumpling back down. Ash was suddenly at the bathroom door, peering out.

"Don't try to walk."

"Okay… what's happening?"

"Look at your legs and your hair," Ash answered. "If you don't fix them people will ask you what happened and you'll have to explain."

May glanced at herself in the mirror. Her bare legs were covered in mud and scratches, and her hair was a tangled mess, filled with twigs and small stones from the ground. She sighed. "Thanks, Ash. You can go now, you should get some sleep."

"Alright." Ash emerged from the bathroom after turning the tap off and glided towards the door. He began to pull it open but May called out again to stop him.

"Wait," she muttered loudly. "How am I gonna get in?"

Ash blushed profusely. "I hadn't thought about that. On second thought, maybe I should get Dawn to help you. Wait here."

"Dawn can't carry me." May was just as embarrassed as he was with the whole situation, but perhaps if she could get him to stick around for a little while, she'd be able to draw an explanation from him. The atmosphere was growing less tense by the moment, but May couldn't let him leave now that they'd begun to talk again. The fear that he would begin to ignore her again was too great. Ash was her best friend, and she knew she could be comfortable around him no matter what. After the first kiss, there was an unusual tension between herself and Ash that she couldn't help but feel, even when they weren't talking. Part of her wanted him to stay facing her.

"Turn around for a sec, close your eyes."

Ash did as she said, turning away and closing his eyes. May pulled the sleep shirt over her head and removed her shorts. She stared down at the leg she'd fallen onto, underneath the mud she could see a gash. She sighed. "Alright, turn around and walk towards me, don't open your eyes."

Ash turned awkwardly and walked aimlessly forward, too nervous to hold out his hands, just in case. He followed the sound of her voice, until he felt her hand on his arm. She guided it to her, and his hand rested softly on her bare side. She lifted her arm and wrapped it around his neck, and placed her weight on him as she stood, wincing. As he helped her to the bath she kept her eyes on him, watching his facial expressions as his arm gripped her tighter. May climbed carefully into the tub as Ash stayed with his eyes closed by the side, waiting to be told he could go.

"You'll have to be my eyes and guide me out," he chuckled nervously.

"No…" May spat awkwardly, drawing her knees up to her chest in the bathtub. "Stay. You can sit for a minute… on the side of the tub, just keep facing away."

"Oh… okay."

May took hold of his hand and pulled him back slightly, carefully guiding him to the edge of the bathtub. He sat slowly, finding his balance, and opened his eyes, keeping his eyes on the wall opposite him. The tension in the room grew further, but May's heart was pounding, and she'd not felt this good in days. This was what she wanted.

"What do you think is gonna happen now?" May asked, rubbing the water gently over her legs, her hands trembling still. "We can't just be sitting ducks here forever."

"I'm sure your mom is sorting it out," Ash spoke, his voice shaking a little. May caught the quiver in his voice and looked down, a smile creeping onto her lips.

"They'll take you away eventually," May waved her hand around slowly in the water. "When they find your parents. You'll get to go home."

"Meh," Ash began, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head. "This place isn't so bad, I hope it's a little while yet."

"Me too…" May muttered, dropping her hand and wrapping her arms around her knees, covering her chest and leaning against the back of the tub. "Me too."

"It feels as though it's been months. It's passed so quickly, I don't even think the reality of everything has sunk in yet. Last year I was spending all my time bickering with Misty and Brock in that place, thinking water and fire types should stay away from each other, then I met you, a fire type, by the lake, and all of this happened, and now we're out, and sitting here together… and we're best friends too."

"Imagine if we hadn't started talking? I don't think any of this would have ever happened, I'd still be stuck there right now… But then I'd get to leave, and we'd never have met for sure."

"Ah, you can't know that." Ash smiled and shrugged. "Maybe one day we would have."

"You're right." May sighed. "We have too much of a connection for our meeting to have been coincidental, huh?"

Ash fell silent. May's heart began to pound against her chest again as she stared up at him, hoping to get some hint as to his feelings. She hugged her knees tighter against her chest, her stomach twisting at the thought that she'd said something wrong. After a moment, nervously she muttered his name. He shifted, and she began to open her mouth to tell him he could leave her now. Suddenly, Ash turned to face her. May's mouth caught open, she froze, her heart missing its next beat. Her mind barely had time to register that he was looking at her, her cheeks barely enough time to begin glowing red, before he leaned down towards her. His lips met hers once again, and May melted into him, feeling his hand on the back of her neck. She dropped her knees, raising her hands, still wet, to place behind his head and pull him closer to her, and they continued to kiss deeply. May's stomach was sick with butterflies, and her face burned, but the feeling in her heart was overwhelming. She wished she could pull him even closer to her. She moved to kneel in the tub beside him, leaning into his kiss more. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel that he was smiling as they kissed. She felt as though her heart would explode. After a long few seconds, Ash removed his hand, and began to pull away. May stayed leaning beside him, forgetting herself, but Ash's eyes remained closed, and he raised his hand op over them, chuckling nervously. May shuffled back to her position that covered her chest, her breath heavy and her heart still racing. Her whole body tingled. Ash moved his hand, opening his eyes, and May opened her mouth to speak, but no words came.

Ash rose, beginning to walk away. "Make sure you clean the wound on your leg well May, it might get infected."

With that, he pulled the door shut behind him, and left May trembling in the bathtub, her eyes staring forward, unable to process what had just happened to her.

The next day started slow. May woke groggy and sore, her legs aching her heart racing as soon as the memories from the night just passed returned to her. She'd paced around her room despite the pain in her legs, unable to leave the room in fear she'd see him and freak out. There was, of course, also the issue of Gary, who May was now engaged to. She desperately wanted to tell Dawn to get it off her mind and better understand why Ash was doing this, but she was so afraid of being judged. She knew she was doing wrong, but she desperately wanted to understand Ash.

After hours of wasting time in her room, May finally forced herself to dress. She found a pair of black tight jeans in her drawers, and pulled them on to cover the scratches down her legs. She pulled a large jumper over her head and pulled the sleeves over her hands, wanting the comfort. She didn't know what her plan would be if she saw Ash, she just knew she had to leave her room eventually. She left her room and was greeted by the sound of giggling from Dawn's room, and Paul's deep voice carried itself down the corridor. She almost smirked, until she heard Gary's voice too, and figured the group was in there. A wave of relief hit her, and she quickly strode to the stairs, beginning to take them two at a time, when she heard her father's voice from the hall. Her mother must have returned, and she hadn't had the chance to speak to her father. She stopped, crouching and listening.

"It's our responsibility now to make sure they're where their parents want them to be, Norman."

"I know, I just want to make sure they are all safe after this. I made it clear to you years ago how I feel about that place. It's savage. Locking kids up for 18 years, if not their whole life."

"I don't disagree with you, I just know we need to give their parents the option, it's only right, and that's why I did it."

He sighed. "Alright, what did they say?"

"Dawn's mother wants her to stay here. She doesn't have the resources to keep her safe at home when this all comes to a head. I can't find any details on the parents of the boy, Paul. Serena's mother said the same as Dawn's."

"And the other boy?"

"His brother almost insisted that we should hand him back immediately. Because I am a fire type he thought it okay to accuse me of keeping him from them deliberately and being snakey for not telling them right away."

"It's best not to argue with them darling, they're unreasonable. I suppose we will have to tell them later then. Do you think they are close friends, the boy and May?"

"I haven't seen them speak much since they arrived here, but I can't help but feel they are when I'm not looking. They certainly have seemed close a couple times."

"Hmm." Her dad stopped, May could hear him move a little. "I see. Well, I have to take care of some things, so I have to leave. They're getting worse, and I fear if I don't do something there's going to be major trouble. I'll let you tell them later."

May shot up from her place on the stairs, hand over her heart, her throat closing, and bolted up the stairs for Dawn's room, almost tripping as she rushed. Once she reached the door she fumbled with the handle, forcing it open and barging in, aware that the tears were already streaming down her face by the time the door opened, and her friend's all turned to her, including Ash, who rose to come to her. She choked on her words, and almost managed to say as Ash approached her, when her mother's voice rang down the corridor.

"May! Bring your friends down please!"

Her mouth closed, but her lip continued to tremble, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. Ash took her into his arms, aware Gary was watching, and began to stroke the back of her head while her friends looked on in concern.

"What is it?" Ash asked her softly, and for a moment she felt like everything was okay. After the last kiss, he wasn't ignoring her. With that, and him holding her like this now, it almost felt as though they were together, but she was so confused. Then her mother called again.

She rubbed her eyes harshly, pulling away from Ash. "We should just go down," she choked. Her friends reluctantly began to head past her as she watched them pass, with her heart tugging violently against her chest. Once they passed, she began to follow, and Ash took hold of her arm.

"I…" he began, looking away, almost in shame. May could see his face was beginning to glow crimson. "Never mind." He shook his head and let go, walking past her suddenly. Confused and still upset, May wanted to tell him to stop, but followed him down to where her mother was waiting.

Her friends were already sat on the sofas in the vast living room space, and Ash sat by Serena, as far from Gary as he could. May hurried over to sit beside Gary, and he placed his arm around her shoulder. She tensed slightly, but quickly relaxed again.

Caroline stood before them all, wringing her hands together behind her back. "As you probably expected, it hasn't been easy since you all escaped. We just wanted to let you know that we have contacted your parents if we could reach them and we are more than happy to keep you here where we can protect you until things settle down. We fully intend to keep you and prevent the Arena from taking you back like they're trying to do." She paused and released a sigh. "Ash, your parents feel like they can protect you within their own home, and they want you to be reunited with them right away, so we arranged transport for you there tomorrow. Luckily, they live in Hoenn too."

May's heart continued to break. She turned to Ash, who's face was twisted in confusion. "Surely they would agree it would be better here with the big house and all the protection you can afford?" She spoke up.

Caroline shifted to face May and seemed to be studying her for something. She gave a soft smile. "Well no, May." She faced Ash again. "Ash, your mother was the water leader." May's heart seemed to fall to the floor.

"What?" Ash asked, standing suddenly.

"Your older brother was released 9 years ago and took over the title, so you aren't first in line, but your brother insisted we send you back to them. They moved here from Kanto just a year ago."

Ash fell silent, his head dropping. "I see. I'll go to sort my stuff." He turned to leave, and May stood, beginning to follow him.

"May, would you stay for a chat?" Caroline asked. May stopped, still watching Ash climb the stairs, her heart aching, telling her to run after him. She stayed. Her friends began to move out of the room, the atmosphere dreary. Caroline sighed and sat, gesturing for May to join her.

"May, this whole thing is about to become a whole lot messier. The arena want you back, you and your friends, they say we're breaking the law by keeping you from them, which I think is ridiculous. From what I'm hearing, the public have differing opinions. I could see violence breaking out, and that's why it's so important that we send your friend back to his parents. I know that he's your friend, but having his parents against us too would be too much. We need them to work with us for this to work."

"How is it… out here? Do people still think fire and water types shouldn't talk?"

"I was extremely surprised when he showed up with you. Truth be told, it depends who you're talking to. Some people don't care anymore, others do. I've seen water and fire types getting along, but it's still rare. None ever marry, that is frowned upon, and that's all that's set in stone."

"I see…" May rose, leaving her mother sat. "I understand."

May rushed upstairs, her mind numb. When she reached the top, Dawn was waiting for her.

"May, are you okay? I noticed you were limping a little earlier."

May smiled as well as she could manage. "I'm fine. I twisted my ankle a little."

"Huh, I'm sorry May. I know how you must feel about Ash having to leave."

May couldn't think of how to respond to her friend. The situation was far worse than Dawn could have knows, especially with Ash behaving the way he had. She couldn't deny she felt a tension between her and Ash whenever they were close, like she could feel his presence beside her, and it made her want to be closer to him- as close as she could possibly get. She needed to know how he felt, but she was also scared, both of the situation with him and the situation overall. She opened her mouth to speak, when suddenly her mother appeared again at the top of the staircase, her face like thunder.

"May, Dawn, go to your rooms please. There's a dangerous man visiting, I don't want you coming down, okay? Just for a little while." She forced a smile and ushered the two towards May's room. May's heart began to race in terror. She glanced back, and Caroline was gone again. Instantly, she rushed towards Ash's room. Dawn followed behind her. Part of her wanted Dawn to go back to her own room, but she also knew Dawn would be scared too, and she wanted to keep her friend safe. As they passed Serena, Dawn warned her into her room. When they entered his room, Ash was sitting on the edge of his bed, seemingly doing nothing at all. He looked up at May, and she looked right back, and felt something she had never felt before in her life. It was as if her whole body was on fire, and her knees began to feel weak. She swallowed hard and looked away, biting her lip.

"Caroline told us to stay in the rooms. She says someone's come to visit that we shouldn't go near." Dawn sat by Ash, but May stayed put, suddenly feeling very awkward. She was only stood a second before the door flung open again and Gary entered without warning, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"You okay?" He asked, looking into her eyes. His concern was so genuine it sent a pang of guilt through her.

"I'm fine." She smiled. She placed her hand on top of his and he seemed to relax. May felt the guilt rising in her stomach, and suddenly felt so sick she couldn't bear to stand. She quickly moved her hand to her head, swaying back a little as her whole body became dizzy. Dawn shot up from the bed and placed her arm around her.

"May?" She asked, concerned. "May, what's wrong?"

"I feel sick." May shook her head. "Just… let me sit down for a minute."

Dawn kept her arm firmly around May, and Gary joined her too on the other side. May could feel Ash's eyes on her, but she couldn't bear to look up. Dawn and Gary set her down on the bed but she never moved her hand from her head. "Thank you, Dawn-"

The sound of the shouting rang through the room suddenly, and the group froze. May's head shot up. The sound came again. Caroline shouting for them to run. She bolted up, fighting past Dawn, not knowing whether they were following or not, and raced down the stairs, feeling the warmth in her chest again as her power built up, and her palms burned. As she reached the bottom, she spotted a man by the door, who shouted something to the living thought her palms shot out, sending a bolt of fire in his direction. She sprinted to the living room, skidding through the door, the second fireball leaving her hands as she shouted, colliding with the back wall. She saw her mother in the corner of her eye, escaping the grip of the man that had held her.

"May!" Dawn screamed from behind, and she whirled, meeting the eyes of a man she'd never seen before in her life, and froze. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a dark look that sent a shiver down her body. He was dressed differently from the rest, who were dressed the same as the guards had been in the Arena. This man was dressed up in a fine suit, and was now wearing a smirk on his face too. He stepped forward and she stumbled back.

"You really have been a pain to work with," he spoke, his voice deep and gravelly. "But you're gonna come back with me."

"Who are you?" She asked, venom in her tone. He laughed, and it boomed and echoed through the room.

"I am leader of the company that keeps dangerous people confined where they should be; where you should be. I am the only one trusted enough to oversee everything. You can call me Giovanni."

He held out his hand, taking hold of May's hand with a tight grip. She winced, her eyes burning into him with hatred. "You'll come with me now."

"I don't think I will," she spat. He laughed again, and tightened his grip, and began to pull on her. She focused her energy she felt burning in her chest on her wrist and he yelped, dropping her arm. She ran for the door, when a chair shot past her, shattering into pieces against the wall. She turned, watching him lift his arm and send another chair flying towards her. She threw herself to the side, rolling as she hit the ground and found her feet again, wincing and the almost unbearable pain shooting through her legs. She focused her energy within her hands, building up a fireball, and jumped, firing it towards him with as much force as she could muster. It collided with the wall beside him, sending him flying to the floor, cursing. She glanced to the side, where Dawn was trying desperately to hold back guards trying to enter from the main entrance. Ash was by the living room, holding back the many guard that had already been in the living room. She was alone.

Giovanni was back on his feet and ran towards her. She shouted, scrambling back, but he held out his palms, and she felt a force against her chest push her back until she crashed into staircase, yelping. Her mind whirring, she snapped suddenly, remembering the small object within her pocket. She grabbed for it quickly and pressed the small button in the middle, throwing it into the air. Blaziken emerged, towering over Giovanni and he cursed, backing off. "Blaziken, flamethrower!" She called, and her Pokemon fired the flamethrower towards him. It would have connected, had Giovanni not blocked it. The smoke cleared, revealing his own Pokemon, Nidoqueen. Blaziken looked back towards her and nodded, firing up another flamethrower and jumping. May rose, running to her right as Blaziken and Nidoqueen began to fight. The room was filled with smoke, but she could still see his shadow. As she ran she held out her palms, firing in his direction again, screaming out. Giovanni held out his own palms, blocking the flames, but the force sent him back into the wall behind his Nidoqueen. As he landed, Blaziken landed a Sky Uppercut, and Nidoqueen crashed beside him. May collapsed, her whole body drained by her last attempt to take him out, and fell to her knees, her hands on the floor in front of her. She did not know where Ash or Dawn were, and the smoke around them made it impossible for her to see. As the black began to gather in the corners of her eyes, she saw guards huddling around Giovanni, lifting him up and taking him away. May opened her mouth to call something out, but the black took over her eyes and her body fell limp to the floor.

* * *

 **I know it seems odd for Giovanni to be Psychic type given his choice of Pokemon, but I promise there is a reason behind it yet to be revealed :3**


	13. Déjà vu

Her eyes fluttered open, but the light was too bright for her to bear, and she closed them tight shut again, twisting her face. She heard shuffling beside her, but couldn't yet make out what the mumbling was. Her head throbbed, her legs ached, but she slowly opened one eye again, adjusting to the light slowly. As her vision cleared, her eyes met with Dawn's, and a wave of relief washed over her. Her friend's face lit up.

"You're awake!" She announced, her eyes watering a little. "We were so worried!"

She turned her stiff head to the side, catching Ash walking towards her bed. Her body grew warm again, and tears welled up in her eyes. She threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around his neck, kneeling on her bed. Her legs burned, but she didn't care. She felt his arms around her back, and the butterflies in her stomach spread across her whole body.

"You won, May. You scared them off. Your mom was a little shaken by it but she told us to bring you here and watch over you until you came around," Dawn spoke from beside them. May never wanted to let go of Ash, but he slowly pulled away from her, and May, feeling her face beginning to burn, turned to Dawn instead.

"How long has it been?"

"29 hours. Ash has been here this whole time. He didn't even come down for dinner."

May turned back to Ash, who was looking away now. So many questions floated through her mind, but the excitement overwhelmed her. For once, she believed there was a chance that he had feelings for her too. He rose, clearing his throat.

"I'm really glad you're awake, May. I'll go tell your mom." He hurried out, not turning back to face her. He pulled the door slowly shut behind him.

"He's in love with you, May," Dawn spat out and smiled.

"What?" May spluttered, facing her friend. "You can't know that."

"No, you're right, I can't. But I see the way he's been acting, and I can't think of any other explanation for it. I'm so happy for you. I can see you love him more than anything."

May looked down at her hands in her lap. "I'm not allowed to be with him, there's nothing I can do about that, even if somehow he does love me back. You know fire and water types have never fallen in love before? It's never been documented. It's believed water types can't get feelings for fire types, and vice versa." She paused, wringing her hands together and sighing. "I would be the first, wouldn't I? And it would have to be this strong, wouldn't it? What are the chances of him having feelings for me too, when it's never happened before now for even one person?"

"You're really going to give up, May?" Dawn stood. "You're the only fire type to ever fall in love with a water type, and I'm so sure he has feelings for you too. This is the first time that's ever happened in history. You're special, May. Something's different about the two of you that made this happen. You've overcome all the odds, that your types are supposed to be completely incompatible, when everyone would be looking at you funny, and yet you've been best friends for months." She paused again. "Ash and I were speaking earlier. He asked me if you had feelings for him. I lied and told him I wouldn't know, and do you know what he said to me? He said there was no chance because you're a fire type. He doesn't believe it could ever happen, and I believe he's in denial about his own feelings." She began to head for the door, but turned back just as she left. "You can't give up on that." She closed the door, leaving May alone with her thoughts.

Her next visitor was Drew. He came alone, his face lighting up as she sat up to meet him. He sat at the foot of her bed, facing her.

"How are you?" He asked. May held out her hand, and he took it.

"I feel drained, but better. What about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I hardly did anything yesterday… I felt as though I couldn't protect you, and I feel so terrible about it."

May smiled, rubbing his hand. "Don't be silly, Drew. Let me protect you this time."

He smiled again, but it quickly faded. He lowered his head. "How are you coping with the news of Ash leaving?"

May's heart sank. In the excitement, she'd almost forgotten that he had to leave. "When does he leave?" She asked, her lips trembling.

"He didn't tell you?" Drew asked. May lowered her head and shook it, blinking her tears back quickly.

"His mother is due to arrive any time today." Drew paused. "Do you want me to get him for you?"

May stayed silent for a moment. She knew the answer she wanted to give, but it was no longer the practical one. She shook her head. "I suppose there's nothing to say."

Drew was unsure of what to say. His frown was persistent, and he knew there was nothing he could do to make her feel any better. He stood, still holding her hand, and squeezed it.

"You know I'm here for you."

"Thank you." She forced a smile. Drew let go of her hand, and she didn't move again as he left the room, and she had to fight even harder to hold back the tears. She would give him one last chance. He would either come to say goodbye to her, or he wouldn't.

When Ash's mother arrived, he was waiting in the hall, things packed into a case Caroline had given to him. Delia didn't look at Caroline in the eye, though she was very polite to them all. Dawn kept her hands behind her back, and tried her best to stay upright and formal, even when she began to cry. After spending everyday together for so many months, she didn't know how she would cope without Ash there. She couldn't even begin to imagine how May would feel.

May. She was still too weak to move from her bed. As Ash prepared to say goodbye, Dawn rushed forward, and Ash stopped.

"Don't you think you should go to say goodbye to May?" She asked. Ash seemed to freeze on the spot, and his face became blank, hiding all of his emotions. He was putting a mask on, so she couldn't read him, she could at least see that. He was silent for a moment, before he turned to her.

"There's no point in that now, Dawn," he whispered, his voice cracking as his mask disappeared for a moment. Dawn's eyebrow furrowed, her eyes overflowing with sadness. Ash glanced at Gary, as if silently sending her a message, and then back to Dawn. She knew there was nothing she could do now. It was out of her control. She looked down, and Ash turned away, to say his goodbyes and leave them.

The door closed, and a distinct cloud of misery fell on the room. Drew turned to Dawn, and she knew what he wanted to say before he opened his mouth. She nodded. Both of their faces expressed their sorrow for their friend. One of them had to tell her. "I'll go," she muttered. She headed for May's room. When she opened the door, her friend sat up quickly and eagerly. Dawn took a deep breath and closed the door behind her, but she didn't move away from it.

"He's gone."

She watched as May quickly turned away, hiding her face from Dawn. Dawn began to cry again. She moved towards May. "I'm sorry, May."

"Go." May muttered, her voice breaking. Dawn held out her hand, but May quickly swatted it away with her own, turning back towards Dawn. Tears streamed down her face now, her expression a mixture of anger and misery. "I said go, Dawn."

Dawn couldn't bear to see her friend this way, but May's voice was so full of anger, Dawn had no choice. She moved her hand back to her side. She left May alone, and went to rejoin Drew.

That night, as Dawn curled up in her bed, sleepless and cried out, unable to cry anymore, Paul joined her. He came in quietly, sighed at the sight of her, and lay beside her, letting her curl up against him as he lay there silently. "I thought it would get better once we left," Dawn spoke in the dark, "it's only gotten worse."

May hadn't made an appearance since she'd heard the news about Ash. Drew was worried for her, but Dawn knew it would take time for May to want to come out and talk to them again. Ash meant more to her than either of them could understand, and now that he was gone she would feel as though there was no point in coming out. When May appeared in the living room the next day, looking exhausted and dull, Dawn was shocked.

"Are you alright?" she asked, standing to give May her seat. May waved her hand to reject the offer of the seat.

"I'm fine. What's going on?" She pointed to the TV. "Anything new?"

Dawn swallowed hard. "We were watching the news yesterday. It said people had begun to fight in the streets, that they were hiding all news about any of this from people inside the Arena so they would know."

"And today?" May asked. Dawn shrugged.

"Your mom took the remote from us this morning and we haven't seen her since. I went to watch the one in my room but the TV was gone."

May's brow furrowed. "She took all of them?"

"Yeah."

May looked to Drew. The TV was high up, hung on the wall. You could turn it on from the side, May knew. "Drew, lift me on your shoulders."

"Why?" he asked, standing hesitantly.

"If she's not letting us see anything, there's something she doesn't want us to see. Something's happened today that we can't know about. I have to know what it is. Where is mom?"

"She went somewhere with your dad."

Drew lifted May up onto his shoulders and she found her balance. He walked to the wall with the TV on, but the room was so tall, May had to reach her arms up quickly and fumble for the power button. She swayed, holding onto the TV for some balance, and found the button. The TV flashed on, already on the news station, and Drew lowered May to the floor. They all watched in silence. Most of the news reported for the last week had been on this topic, it had spread across Hoenn and other regions, sparking either outrage towards the Arena, or support for it. Nothing new played at first as they watched clips of Hoenn officials giving statements on the situation. May watched with bated breath as the station changed to a lady sitting at the news desk. She was barely listening as it cut to a lady being questioned. May didn't recognise the woman, but Dawn gasped beside her. They turned to each other. Dawn seemed hesitant to speak.

"That's Ash's mom."

May's head shot back to the TV, holding her breath. Delia was angry, calling out for Hoenn officials to do something about the problem, asking why nothing was being done. As she finished speaking, it cut back to the lady at the desk, and May was almost relieved. For a moment, she believed the news might have been about Ash.

"Delia's outrage comes after her son, Ash, was abducted from her as they travelled from Caroline Maple's household back to their own early yesterday."

May was on her feet instantly. The rest of the words were lost to May, her brain had shut down. She intended to head for the door, but Drew had her arm. She pulled against him angrily, fear in her eyes.

"This is why she didn't want us to see it May. I know you're upset but please don't do anything stupid."

"Stupid?" May cried. "He's our friend, Drew. He came out here with us, so if he's been taken back there, we have to get him. I have to get him."

"How? May, your mom practically has an army stationed outside so no one can get in, and we can't get out. The gates will stop us once we reach them."

May sighed. She looked to Dawn for support, but Dawn looked away. She agreed with Drew.

"May, as much as we care for Ash, we can't go back there. They'd overwhelm us, we'd be so heavily outnumbered, even our powers wouldn't be able to help us. They'd take us back too. Wait for your mom, and his mom, to plan something, and then we can help to get him back."

Dawn used a soft, convincing tone. May sighed, and nodded. Her heart was racing out of her chest. "Alright."

"I'm sorry, May." Dawn placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. May gave a fake smile and began to walk out of the room.

"It's alright, I'm going to go to bed, if that's alright. I don't feel so good after all of this."

Her friend's nodded, and May headed out of the room, closing the door behind her. Once she heard them beginning to talk again, she rushed away, running up the stairs, and turned towards the corridor that her parents' bedroom was on. She hurried to their room, and entered, closing the door behind her. Their room was bigger than her own, with a bathroom attached. May felt wrong for invading their room, but she pushed that thought out of her mind and glided into their bathroom, opening cabinets, cupboards and drawers until she found what she wanted. She took hold of the box and left, putting everything back into its place. She ran, from her parents room to her own, before anyone could see her, and turned the lock. She sat on the edge of her bed, looking at herself in the mirror, her heart pounding faster than it ever had. She placed the box under her bed, and sat, staring forward for what seemed like an eternity.

Her friend's checked up on her a few times for the rest of the day, and she made conversation with them normally. Everything seemed to be going back to normal, as much as it could, and they would resume waiting for something to happen, for some fighting to begin.

When all her friends went to bed for the night, May sat on the edge of her bed, staring at herself in the mirror. By now, her hair had grown to fall below her shoulders and almost onto her chest. She played with it for a moment, before standing, taking the box from beneath her bed, and heading for her bathroom. She locked herself in there, standing by the sink, and opened the box. The hair dye stared back at her. She'd figured out Caroline dyed her hair blonde, and she knew she'd keep some in her bathroom for it. She pulled open the box, taking out the gloves and the bottles, and began. She tried desperately to stop her hands from shaking as she bleached her hair, and every minute she waited seemed like an hour. Once she was done, she turned on her shower, and stepped inside, still shaking, and let the hair dye wash from her head, without giving herself time to regret what she'd done. She stepped out, wrapping herself in a towel, but she couldn't risk blow drying her hair and waking someone up, so she waited.

She didn't let herself sleep, in fear that she'd sleep too long. She waited, until her hair had dried, and took a deep breath, turning to look at herself in the mirror. May barely recognised herself. Her hair had turned a beautiful shade of blonde, much like Serena's. She grabbed a hair tie from her drawer and pulled her hair up into a high ponytail, letting the sides fall around her face a little still. May never wore her hair up, and definitely did not recognise herself now. She headed to her wardrobe, and slowly pulled out her suit and boots from the Arena. She could barely look at them. Holding back her tears, she stuffed them into a backpack, and changed quickly into a casual outfit, a pair of black shorts a floral shirt. Checking she had the money her mom had given her a few days ago, she slowly crept out into the corridor and down the stairs. If anyone spotted her now, she'd be trapped, kept under constant supervision. She headed for the back entrance, and peered out, waiting for the guard to pass, and ran quietly out, heading in the direction she had a few nights beforehand. Once she reached the slope, she lowered herself, wary of the loose ground this time, and slowly let herself skid down it. At the bottom, she ran into the forest and loosened up. She'd made it out.

She looked around. She knew the direction the gate would be in, and headed that way. It didn't take long for May to reach it, and she stayed concealed in the trees alongside the road until the gate was out of view, and May was alone in the open world for the first time. She breathed in the fresh air, and for a moment felt more free than she ever had. She followed the sign for Petalburg.

Once May reached Petalburg, she headed straight for the Pokemon centre at the beginning of the city. Nurse Joy behind the counter looked up at the sound of May walking in. May struggled to hide the fact that she was overwhelmed by all the new things around her.

"Could I have a room for the night?" May asked, handing Nurse Joy some of the money she owned.

"Sure. Follow me." Nurse Joy led May up a flight of stairs and into a basic room. Once she left, May slung her backpack down on the ground and crawled into the bed, lying there in the silence. She was terrified, but she also felt good. It felt good to be free. She could just run away now, but that wasn't why she was out here. Eventually, she drifted off to sleep.

She woke the next morning groggy, and for a moment forgot where she was. Once her senses came to her, the terror hit her again, and she sat up quickly. She fumbled in the bag for her hairbrush and fixed her hair, pulling it into the messy high ponytail again. She grabbed her bag, clutching the straps as she headed down the stairs. If anyone were to see what was inside, she'd be taken away immediately. Once she left, May headed down the main street of Petalburg until she reached the fashion store. She'd seen on TV years ago that they often sold something that would be useful to her. She pushed the door open, heading inside quickly. All the people around her overwhelmed her, and scared her. It would only take one of them recognising her to send everything spiralling down. She headed for the counter, and asked for green coloured contacts. The lady handed her them in a box, and once she'd paid, May walked to the mirror in store, taking them out of the box. She carefully placed them in, and looked at herself again. No one would recognise her now, with her blonde hair, bangs and green eyes. She took a deep breath. The hard part began now.

May spent the rest of the day wasting her time around time. She let herself try ice cream, and spent more time than was necessary looking around the supermarket. When night began to fall, she headed out of the city in the direction she had came, until she found the road she and her friends had travelled down. It had been over a week, but May remembered exactly where they had emerged from the trees, and the exact steps they had taken. Clutching her bag tighter, she headed into the trees. She continued walking for what seemed like forever, until she reached the edge of the trees. She crouching, edging forward silently, and peered out. The walls towered above her, the hole in the wall still there. There were signs of construction around it, and part had been patched already, but the workers would have gone home for the night. Two guards stood stationary by the entrance, guns in their hands. They were quite far away, and wouldn't spot her from there. Seeing the walls of that place again caused panic to rise in her, and she fought hard to maintain the panic attack that threatened. Instead, she backed off a little, and slipped off her shorts, and her shirt. She reached into the bag, pulling out the suit, and pulled it up, zipping it up the front. It felt so much more uncomfortable to her now, but she had no choice. She shoved her other clothes back into the bag and pulled on the boots. She would have to leave the bag here. She chose a large tree, and placed the bag in a section on the back. On the front, she used a stick to scratch a marking. Now, she froze. She stayed still for a moment, psyching herself up for the challenge ahead of her. She had to take out the guards before they noticed her, and she had to make sure she made no noise at all. She studied them, the way they moved when they turned to talk to each other, and waited. She waited for the moment they both turned away in the same direction, and pounced. She jumped from the trees, her power building, and fired the flames in their direction. They had no time to react, before they sent them back into the wall, with a thud. May ran over to where they lay, trembling at what she was capable of doing to people now, and dragged them away into the woods, so people wouldn't be alerted in the morning, and thought they'd just already moved before guard changeover. She raced to the wall, and squeezed through the gap. Once she was inside, she ran, past the broken fence her friends had left behind, and into the familiar woods. Once she was far enough from the hole, she stopped to catch her breath and stood, looking around her. Her heart raced. She was back. Breathing heavily from panic, she found an area of the woods that seemed reasonably comfortable, and lay. She knew she couldn't go inside, for she'd have no room to stay in, and would be caught if she snuck into her old room. It took her some time to fall asleep, with her mind whirring constantly with fear and adrenaline. Eventually, she drifted off.

She woke the next morning to the sound of the birds, and rubbed her eyes. She pulled her tangled hair out of the ponytail and brushed her fingers through it, making it as neat as she could. She still hadn't accepted the fact that she had blonde hair. Sighing, she tied it back up messily. She didn't know much about what she would do while she was here, but she knew she had to find Ash. She also knew no one would bat an eyelid in her direction. Everyone that didn't recognise her would assume they had just never noticed her before, and the guards would just assume she was one of the many people trapped there.

It didn't take her long to reach the field in front of the main entrance. She stood for a moment, taking in the size of the building before her. She'd never quite appreciated how big it was when it was the only thing she'd known. She kept her head down and her mouth shut as she walked, fearing she'd recognise someone and become emotional, or that someone would recognise her voice. She pushed past people, into the main doors, and headed for the canteen she and her friends would always go to. She braced herself, and pushed the door open. The canteen was full of people eating breakfast, as she'd expected. She stayed by the door, surveying the room. Misty and Brock sat on their usual table, but she didn't see Ash there. She kept looking. He wasn't there. She sighed, and walked to the counter, taking some of the old, terrible food she always used to eat, and sat alone, slowly eating as much as she could force down. She debated speaking to Misty and Brock, pretending to be an old friend of Ash's and ask where he was, but she knew both of them would remember her voice, and she didn't trust herself enough to change her tone. One slip up, and May would be trapped for good. During the day, there were far more guards everywhere. She felt surrounded.

Once she finished the food, she left quickly, avoiding eye contact with anyone. She went to the bathroom, assessing herself in the mirror. She still wouldn't have recognised herself, her bright green eyes staring back at her.

"Excuse me, have you seen a girl around here, with purple hair and a scar on her left cheek?"

May whirled around. A young girl, perhaps 14, was stood behind her. May froze, panicking. _It's just a girl, she won't recognise you._

"Sorry, I haven't," May answered, raising her tone slightly. She surprised herself with how well she could pull it off. The girl thanked her and ran off. May stayed staring at the mirror for a moment. _Could I pull off speaking to Brock? He would recognise me the least…_

May left the bathroom in a rush. She needed to move fast to feel as though she was in control. She re-entered the canteen. Misty and Brock were standing, taking their trays to the trash. Misty went ahead of Brock, and May rushed over quickly, taking Brock by the arm. He turned to her, confused. May panicked, clearing her throat, and forced the words out in the same tone she had just managed to use.

"Excuse me, I was just wondering if you'd seen Ash Ketchum? We spoke a little before he disappeared and I heard he had returned but I haven't seen him."

Every moment that passed between May's question and Brock's answer made her more anxious. She expected him to question her, and for her to not have the answers. After a second, Brock shrugged, seemingly not caring.

"He did come back, yeah, but we have hardly seen him either. There's something not right about him, he spends a lot of his time in his room."

Relieved that Brock wasn't suspicious, she pressed him more. "What happened when he came back?"

"I'm not sure exactly. They dragged him back in, and it really seemed like the fight had left him. He hasn't spoken to any of us, but people are saying he ran away with his group of friends that he made. I'm not sure why he's the only one to return, but since then I've seen him get taken out of here to speak with the leaders. They seem interested in him."

"Alright, thank you," May said quickly, and scurried off before Misty could return and speak to her. She knew exactly how to get to Ash's room, but it was early, and May was willing to bet that he'd be by the lake. She walked quickly towards the door and out, following the route she knew so well. This time, she took the quicker way, avoiding the woods. At this time of morning, hardly anyone was out, and it was almost peaceful. May could have felt calm, if she could forget where she was. She was surrounded by walls again, and she needed to find her way out again. By the time she and Ash made it back to the wall, the hole may be gone, and she knew that. It had been a rash decision, but in her mind, she'd rather be trapped inside with him than him be gone forever and her be free. She needed to have him there, and she couldn't bear to be on the outside knowing he was still trapped. She would rather spend her days pretending and hiding and know he was there than stay outside without him. May reassured herself with these thoughts as she headed for the lake. She reached the water soon after, and scanned the area around her. She looked to her right, and her heart stopped. He was sitting, alone, his knees drawn to his chest, staring out to the water, and in that moment May had never felt so happy in her whole life.


	14. Showdown

**Hey guys,**

 **sorry for the delay with this chapter. I only recently moved on from school to university, and moved out of my home, so it's been an extremely busy time for me. Hope you all understand!**

* * *

She'd been stood for a while before she could even make herself think about moving. She desperately wanted to run up to him, to throw her arms around him, but she knew she couldn't just yet. Anyone could be watching him, and she knew there was no way they'd let him back in without facing some sort of consequences. She twitched, struggling to hold herself back. The sun was high in the sky, but the summer was long gone, and the cold was setting in early. She shivered, sighed, and turned away from him. She'd watch a little first, then approach him when the time was right. She was here to save him after all, and the last thing she wanted was to fail.

At lunch, May sat alone again, waiting. At first, Ash made no appearance. She began to worry he wouldn't show up at all, until he walked in late, alone, and struggling. Instantly May could see that he was injured. She waited, watching him look around for an empty table. By now, most tables were full. May had sat herself in the far corner, furthest from the door, and her table was still empty aside from herself. She watched his eyes dart sadly across the room, hovering briefly on his friends. Then, his eyes met hers, and she dropped her head, her heart leaping into her chest. When she glanced back up, he was in line. She sighed, watching him pick some food without really looking at what it was, and turn towards her. Her heart sank as he began to stride in her direction. He said nothing, and barely looked at her, just sat on the other side of the table from her, as far away as he could. She pretended to eat some more, glancing up at him occasionally. It didn't seem as if anyone was watching him after all, and he wasn't eating, just staring at his tray. She shuffled to the next seat along, a little closer, and he looked up.

"Hey," she whispered. He blinked at her, saying nothing. "Do they have you wired after you ran away?" she asked quietly, pointing at his chest. He seemed confused, and a little offended.

"No." Ash turned away from her again. She looked around the room once again quickly. The guards didn't seem any more interested in him that anyone else. She shuffled closer again, and Ash began to look noticeably uncomfortable. She felt terrible for it, but she knew she needed to know everything before she could risk revealing herself.

"Then how did they punish you?"

Ash seemed annoyed at her question, and sighed. "They put me down in the cells for 2 days straight without feeding me, and the guards were extremely rough with me. One broke my finger." He held up his hand, showing the splint on his middle finger. "They check I'm in my room three times a day, not one. They told me I can't tell anyone about what really happened or they'll kill me and my friends that are still on the outside. Does that answer your question?"

For a moment, the situation left May's mind. She knew she could, if she wanted to, pry into his life a little more, and ask about herself. She could find out if he really had any feelings for her at all. She knew she couldn't do it, and shook herself back to reality. There was no one watching, and she knew it was safe now to tell him. Suddenly she felt nervous. She didn't want to tell him here, she wanted a place alone, where she could hug him without worrying about everyone watching. She was, of course, still wearing the fire type uniform, and no one would recognise her or know why she was hugging him. She could wait for the next day, but she didn't know if she could wait that long.

"Hey, will you come outside with me?"

Ash seemed even more puzzled by this question, and raised an eyebrow at her. He blinked a few times. "I don't know you."

"Will you just trust me?"

"I don't mean to be rude, but I don't have a good reason to trust anyone in here right now."

May sighed, looking right into his eyes. She had no choice. "Ash. It's me."

He studied her for a moment, his eyes growing wide. She watched it click into place in his mind, and he tensed up. He leaned in a little. "May?"

She nodded, and he quickly looked around in fear. She could see he was in shock a little. "What are you doing here?" He asked. His face had twisted in concern, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes piercing into her.

"I couldn't not come, Ash. I had to get you out."

"I can't think of another way out, May. We've lost our chance."

May searched his eyes. "You've given up, haven't you? I can see it in your eyes."

"May…" He sighed. "If you'd been through this, you would have too. There's no other way out of here. I'm so glad you're here with me, but we're stuck now."

May stood, hurt. "I wouldn't have given up. I know you're hurt, but you can't give up. I thought you would be a little happier to see me."

"May, there's no one I'd rather have here with me. You've no idea how happy I am to see you, I can't even express it. I just wish you'd stayed outside so you could be safe. All I want is for you to be safe."

"I don't care about being safe, I came back in to save _you_ ," May said, raising her voice a little, caring less around the people around her. Ash sighed, defeated.

"There's nothing to save, May, and there's no way to do it."

May paused for a moment, feeling the anger rise inside her. "I'm getting out of here. I'm getting everyone out of here, with or without you," she snapped quietly, and began to walk away, leaving Ash sitting alone again.

As she pushed past people and headed the door, she found herself suddenly stalled. Someone had stuck their arm out in front of her. She looked up. Brock stood over her, his arm blocking her path. Brock was even taller than Ash was, and he towered over her. She froze, but kept a calm face, pursing her lips slightly.

"Yes?"

"Who are you?" he asked, crossing his arms. She looked back up at him, right into his eyes, and knew that he knew something. Brock had always seemed clever, and now he was proving her right. She knew lying would do nothing. She said nothing. "Why are you back? What's going on?"

Still saying nothing, May sighed, looking around. Ash was looking their way. She took Brock's arm and dragged him away, out of the canteen and out of the building. Once outside, she began to explain. She told him everything, from how they'd figured out who she was, to how they'd begun to master their powers, and how they'd found her parents, but were brought back. Brock didn't say a word, and when she was done, still had nothing to say. He seemed to be thinking.

"I'll help you," he said suddenly. May blinked.

"You will?"

"Yeah. The only problem is, we need people on our side, but we can't let the guards find out what's going on. If they discover you, they'll kill you. If you tell people the truth, you'll die."

"I know. I'm still trying to figure that out."

"You didn't seem too happy leaving the canteen there," he observed.

May sighed. "Yeah… Ash has given up. He doesn't believe we'll make it out of here anymore."

"Let's speak to him together then. Maybe I can help you convince him."

May nodded. They'd been outside for some time, and now people had finished dinner, and the sun was almost set. She figured Ash would be in his room, and although she didn't want to draw too much attention to herself, she knew she had to go too. She and Brock headed inside, down the corridors she knew all too well, while she tried to hide the fact that she was terrified of every wall, of every door, and everything inside the place. When they reached Ash's room, Brock knocked on the door. A guard watched, but they weren't doing anything suspicious as such. No answer.

"Ash, it's Brock."

May heard shuffling from inside, and Ash appeared at the door seconds later. He looked to Brock, and to May, and no words needed to be said. He disappeared into his room, and reappeared again a second later.

"Alright, where are we going?" he asked, closing the door behind him.

"We could go out to the woods. It will be quiet there now that it's getting dark and-"

May suddenly stopped. The sound of boots on the laminate floors echoed around the empty corridors. She turned to Brock, terror in her eyes, and he looked around frantically. From around the corner came a group of guards. Brock moved closer to May.

"Step aside," they ordered, taking Ash's hands and cuffing them. He didn't look scared. "You should be in the hall already."

"The hall?" Brock asked as they began to drag Ash away. The guards did not answer. Brock and May glanced at each other, and began to run. They ran to the stairs, and raced down, heading for the hall that all major battles and contests took place in. When they arrived, everyone was already there. The stands were full, just as they had been on the first day she met him. Terrified, May squeezed onto the end of a bench, and Brock sat beside her. Nobody was on stage yet, and everyone talked amongst themselves, but May watched in silence, a lump in her throat and her nerves worse than ever. _What if they know he's been talking to me? What if they mean to kill him? They're going to kill him…_

Suddenly, silence fell across the hall. Then, she spotted her. Cynthia emerged from backstage, her hands clasped in front of her, wearing her longline black coat that swayed around her hips as she walked. She stopped in the middle, where a table had been placed. She cleared her throat, and adjusted a small microphone by her mouth.

"You're probably all wondering why I brought you here," she began. May's heart felt as though it would stop. "As you know, we keep you here for the good of the people on the outside and for the good of yourselves. We are not monsters. We do this for you. We do this to keep the world safe and secure." Brock muttered something under his breath as she spoke, but May did not listen. "However, there are always those that think they know what is best. We are not monsters, but we cannot let those who try to disobey go unpunished."

She clicked her fingers, and two guards emerged, leading Ash with them. May felt the familiar feeling in her chest, and fought herself to hold down the anger rising. The guards led Ash to the table, and nudged him forward. Ash climbed onto the table and stood there, his head hanging. May could hardly watch.

"This is what happens when you attempt to escape."

Cynthia approached Ash, reaching into his pocket, and pulled out a Pokeball. Pikachu's pokeball. She stepped back, holding it up, and put it in her own pocket.

"All those who make any attempts to escape or even plan to escape will face the same fate. Your Pokemon will be permanently taken away from you. As punishment, Ash will stand here for the remainder of the night, without moving. You are free to stay if you wish to watch. Other than that, that is all. You may leave now."

The hatred in May's chest was the strongest she'd ever felt. Her eyes burned as she stared down at the woman in front of her. For a moment, she lost herself, and suddenly she was snapped back into reality at the sound of Cynthia screaming. The bottom of her coat had caught fire, and it was quickly spreading. She threw it off onto the stage quickly and stumbled back. A number of guards raced forward, putting the fire out. Slowly, people began to cheer and jeer towards her, shaking their fists and complaining. With a face like thunder, Cynthia left the stage, escorted by her guards. People began to leave slowly, after they finished shouting. Brock turned to May.

"I think we just got the people on our side."

After two hours, May still remained. Everyone else had left by now. Every now and then, Ash would look up at her, and they would watch one another, but say nothing. The guards watched from every corner of the room. She lay on the bench. It was stiff, and she was not comfortable, but she wouldn't leave. She lay there, watching him. It didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep.

She woke again to a thud, and jolted upright, looking to the stage. Ash had collapsed from the table and landed on the wooden floor. May began to rush down towards the stage, when a guard took hold of her arm and pulled her back roughly. Another guard approached Ash and kicked him slightly with his boot.

"Hey, get up," he hissed. Ash struggled up onto his knees. The guard pulled him up by the arm, and gestured to the table. Ash clambered back up without saying a word, and stood there again. May knew he hadn't eaten much since he came back, and probably hadn't slept much either. His weakness showed in both his face and his eyes. With her lip trembling, she headed back to the bench and lay down again. This time, she didn't sleep.

When morning came around, May opened her eyes to the sight of Ash being helped down from the table. She'd half-slept through the night, and struggled to open her eyes. The guards led Ash out of the room. Groggily, she followed them, and watched as they pushed him inside his room and left. For a moment, the corridor was empty. May knew there were no cameras in his room, and she could go inside easily to see him. She approached the door, and her hand hovered over the handle. Sighing, she pushed the door open and quickly stepped inside, closing the door. Ash looked up at her from his bed, his eyes dull and heavy.

"When do they first check on you?" May asked quietly.

"First one is 2 like everyone else," he muttered. They both looked away from each other, and the room fell silent. May's feelings were tearing away at her, and seeing Ash this way was killing her. Part of her wanted to kiss him, tell him how she felt and that it would be okay, that once they were outside they would travel together and never be apart. The other part of her knew it was impossible, and thought of Gary. A pang of guilt hit her.

"I didn't sleep much either, and I can't go back to my old room…" She rubbed her arm nervously. "Do you mind?" She pointed to the space beside him.

He shook his head and shuffled further along. May pulled off the boots and left them by the door before crawling inside the bed with him, facing away. She closed her eyes, immediately feeling herself fall asleep, and the pair said nothing else.

They woke again to a knock on the door. May bolted upright, racing for Ash's wardrobe. She pressed herself against the back of it and pulled the door closed silently as Ash crawled out of his bed and answered the door. May could hear her own heart beating in the silence.

"Oh." Brock's voice broke the silence. "I thought she might be here."

May relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief, and emerged from the closet. Brock looked between the two suspiciously.

"I didn't sleep well, so I came here to get some," May explained. Brock nodded in understanding and gestured outside.

"There's no one here right now, and I need to speak to you May."

May walked out, leaving Ash alone again without saying goodbye. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. "What is it?" she asked as they began to walk down the corridor.

"I've had an idea." Brock watched her perk up. "You told me that you snuck into Cynthia's office one night to find out who your parents were? Well, why don't we do it again?"

The office had completely slipped May's mind, but Brock's idea sent her heart racing. She nodded, thinking deeply about how she would manage to pull this off. "I have to go alone. It'll be easier for me to hide and I'll be quieter."

Brock nodded. He trusted her to find whatever they needed to find, and knew that he would only make it harder if something were to go wrong. She could look out for herself long enough for him to get to her if things were to go sour anyway.

"Do you remember who it was that broke you in last time?"

May recalled the man that had helped them last time. She nodded. "Good," he said. "We need to find him now."

First, Brock headed to his room. The clock hit 2, and the drones made their way around the rooms. As the drone scanned Brock, May lay under his bed and watched. Once it had passed, she waited for Brock to let her know it was clear, and snuck out. They circled the building, looking out for the man. They visited the social areas and the canteens, the gym and the pool, the hall and all of the corridors. Several times, the pair encountered Misty, and tactfully avoided her. Eventually, on their second round, they found him in the gym. They approached the treadmill, and the man stopped it, hopping off and crossing his arms.

"Can I help you?"

"Sorry to bother you, we were just wondering if you would help us."

"I know Paul," May spoke up. "He said you helped him before, and we need you to help us, if you would."

The man sighed, but agreed. They would meet outside the office at 10, where he would open the door for her. Brock would wait nearby, but not by the door, in case she should get into trouble. May would search the room for any information she could find before leaving again.

When the time came, May met Brock nearby. Though he tried to hide it, she noticed the twitching in his hand, and the way his eyes darted around the room. She only nodded to him before walking in the direction of the stage towards Cynthia's office. The air was warm and stuffy, and May found herself nervous as they approached the door. Just as she turned the corner, Brock gripped her shoulder and pulled her back, covering her mouth. He gestured through the door, and May noticed the two guards posted outside, guns in their arms. Brock let go of her and pointed around the corner. Nodding, May hurried past the door before they could spot her and hid around the corner. After a moment, Brock straightened himself up and ran into the room, his acting almost flawless. He shouted at the guards that a girl had collapsed in the stage room, and May watched as he led them through the curtains and away from her. She rushed to where they'd stood, her head swirling as she searched for the man. She figured he'd noticed the guards and decided to bail. Composing herself, she looked to the door. The security had been replaced, and now an electric lock sat by the door; she'd need the keycard to enter. She wrapped her fingers around the box, feeling for a way to remove the front. Finding nothing, she sighed, and glanced behind her before closing her eyes and focusing her mind on the box. She felt the heat spreading across her palms, but it didn't burn. When she opened her eyes, it had caught fire. She backed up as it sparked.

Footsteps behind her caught her attention, and she lunged for the handle, shaking it. The door didn't budge. Panicking, she charged the fire within her palms, and shot it at the door. The force broke through the door, and the fire smashed into the back of the room, setting files alight. May abandoned the idea of the mission being secret, and pushed her way through the door, acting quickly. She didn't have long now. Tonight would decide whether she would escape or not. The fire was beginning to spread around the room, so she held her arm to her face and held back her coughing. On the desk, a file lay open, the contents spread around it. She ran for it, pushing the papers back inside the file, and ran for the other door. She dropped the file, charged her fire once more, and threw it, feeling her energy drain with every passing second. She picked up the file again and clambered through the collapsing door, the fire spreading quickly in the room behind her.

"I knew I'd be seeing you again."

Giovanni stood by a glass window. May looked around. The walls were entirely glass, and the room was entirely white, besides the small amount of furniture. Clearly, she'd found Giovanni's office. Outside, the sky was clear, and Giovanni appeared to be watching the stars. She noted the peculiar watch on his wrist. He seemed uninterested in the fire that was now roaring in the room behind them.

"Do you like it?" he held the watch up.

"What is it?" she asked, tensing up, readying herself up for a fight. Giovanni cackled.

"Observe." He pressed a button on the screen, hidden from May. She waited. It glowed, and the glow seemed to spread throughout his body. She didn't dare blink. Slowly, he raised his arm, showing a flame he'd created in it. May's eyebrows furrowed. Last time they'd fought, he'd been a psychic type. Her heart raced. He smirked. Feeling her chest grow heavy, May's eyes began to glow. She would not be outdone. After a silent moment, she paced forward, fire rising around her step, searing around her. It was a threat. Giovanni only smirked again. May charged fire, hurling it towards him. He dodged easily, but the ball found the glass, shattering the wall. Instantly, wind whipped furiously around the room. May faltered, looking up to the sky. A storm had gathered, and bolts of lightning struck quickly upon the ground. She smirked herself. Her ponytail had come loose, and her blonde hair blew in the wind, mingling with the fire whispering around her. Behind her, a crash came as the wall of the room behind her began to crash down. She lifted her arm slowly, and the fire moved around her like a snake. She was somewhat scared of her own power, but she couldn't stop now. Giovanni pressed a button on his watch, and suddenly the ground beneath her rose up, flinging her into the air. She felt a force push her back, and crashed heavily against the wall behind her, smashing through the glass and onto the cold ground outside. She coughed, rolling over in the pile of glass she'd landed in. It cut away at her skin, but she stood, paying no mind to the lightning striking the ground around her. She looked across the field to see people running towards a gap in the wall, but guards ran out, with guns, and they instantly dropped to the floor. One shouted about the fighting inside. Giovanni stepped forward, smiling down at her. The fire rose once more, and she became aware of the eyes on her from across the field. Giovanni rose the ground again, but she kept her balance, rising with it. As she rose, she focused, and the power burned so hot within her she let out a scream. She jumped from the rock, firing her strength at him. The fire moved towards him quickly, a crackling inferno, and took shape, in the form of a giant bird, flying towards Giovanni. May stared for a second in awe at her creation, until it crashed into him. May ran forward, back into the office, firing fireballs ahead of her into the smoke, screaming as the weight of using her power tore at her. She almost stopped, when she was knocked off her feet again.

She could hear him coughing, but she couldn't see for the smoke. She began choking herself, feeling a weight holding her down. She reached out, but Giovanni's shelves had collapsed upon her legs, and something was holding them down. The fire wouldn't kill her, but not being able to breath would. The smoke grew thicker, until May could see nothing around her, and began to scream for help, clawing at the object on top of her. She closed her eyes, begging herself not to cry, but the air was getting so thick with smoke it was almost impossible not to.

In an instant, May was plunged into a wave of water, as high as the room, that swallowed the fire as it moved along. She stopped herself from gasping and pushed at the shelves harder. Keeping her eyes closed, she silently screamed, the water still engulfing her. Her thoughts turned to death. She almost accepted that she would die today. She stopped her tugging and went still. Suddenly, she felt the weight removed from her legs, and she floated along with the wave, until it crashed upon the ground outside. She choked, gasping for air, crawling along the ground that was still littered with glass. Opening her eyes, they fell upon Giovanni standing, firing his own fireball over her. She pulled herself up, clambering backwards. She looked to where he was firing. Ash managed to dodge it. She felt the rage and energy build up inside her. As Ash bent over recovering, she jumped up, pulling all her remaining strength together, and fired one last fireball at him. It crashed into him, sending him flying to the floor. Breathing heavily with anger, she marched over to him, and stood over him, holding fire in her palm. She'd dropped the file on him by now, and it would be destroyed, but she didn't need it. She'd seen the blueprints on the first sheet, and the watch on his wrist.

"Go on then, kill me. You win." Giovanni spat, coughing between his words. May shook her head.

"I won't kill you." She reached down, taking the Pokeballs from his belt and pushing them into her pockets. "I still need something from you."

Giovanni squinted. May looked up, but Ash was still some distance away, though he was beginning to head towards her. She quickly looked back to Giovanni, and gestured to his wrist.

"Why would you want this?" He coughed.

"I need to change my type."

Giovanni shook his head weakly. "It won't work for you. It's specific to one person."

May's lip trembled as she stared angrily down at him. "Then I'll meet you two weeks today in Petalburg city, and we can go to where you had it made together."

Giovanni opened his mouth to protest, but May picked one of his Pokeballs from her pocket, throwing it up and catching it, daring him to question her. His mouth closed again. May's head moved up, and she saw the fighting was still underway inside the building. The storm hadn't settled- lightning still struck down guards all around her. Sighing, May gestured for Giovanni to get up. He seemed confused, and kept an eyebrow raised and his eyes on her as he rose. He held his head up before turning away and sneaking off towards the gap in the wall. Ash ran to her.

"You're letting him get away?" He asked, taking hold of her arm. May pulled her arm away quickly and moved away, looking to the fighting. The fire was spreading quickly throughout the building, and she knew who was inside. She set off running, leaving Ash behind her. She heard shouts behind her, but ignored them, plunging herself into the burning building, an arm over her mouth again. Down the hall was Drew, ushering people out to safety. As he did, Serena fought off the guards that came at them, with what seemed like the ability to fire moonbeams from her palms. She ran to them.

"Drew!" She called, and as he turned, threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The hug was short and sweet, she pulled away.

"Giovanni is down, we have to leave."

Serena stopped, panting for breath, and jogged to join them.

"Where do we go?" she asked.

"To the wall. We can fight them off on the way there."

They headed for the field. Dawn stood, her hair soaked from the rain and her arms covered in bruises, holding her arms out, pulling the lightning strikes down from the sky. May called for her, and she dropped her arms, almost dropping to the ground with exhaustion. May helped steady her friend, until she was stable enough to walk. The adrenaline had hit May hard- so hard that she barely felt her own pain. They ran for the wall, May firing fireballs at any guard that was too close, and Serena covered the other side of them. Panicked people pushed their way through the wall, but most had left already. On the other side, May could see the police desperately trying to contain the people fleeing. As they reached the wall, May spotted Misty climbing through. When she looked to her right, Ash had already left. She watched him run to her, and her wrap her arms around him, burying her head in his chest. Around them, the police rushed through the wall, and the guards began to fall to the ground, dropping their weapons. Ash and Misty continued to hug, his arm rubbing her back. May swallowed hard, feeling numb.

"May!" She looked up. Gary ran to her, placing his hand on her chin and lifting her face up, inspecting her for injury. May found herself ecstatic to see him. She smiled. He sighed with relief. "I was so worried."

"I'm fine," May whispered and half-smiled, but her exhaustion was beginning to hit her, and her knees shook. Gary only just had time to reach out and catch her before she slumped over half conscious, and gave in to the darkness creeping into her eyes.


	15. Pillow

She spent the entire journey home pondering. She lay awake and conscious in Gary's arms, but she couldn't move. Every muscle within her was tensed, every bone stiff, and every inch of movement sent her heart racing. She focused on breathing steadily, and ignoring the fact that it was Gary's strong arms holding her, while Ash talked with Misty on the other side of the road.

She mostly thought about him. She barely spared a thought for her freedom. It hadn't quite sunk in for May that they were finally free, and that she had won. She had finally mastered her powers fully. So, she thought of Ash. She thought of how he'd saved her, but also how he had chosen not to say goodbye to her when he thought they wouldn't see each other for a very long time, if ever. He was going to leave her without saying anything. In that moment, she'd told herself that it had been his last chance. After that, she'd surrendered to the fact that he would never be hers, and he never loved her the way she loved him. She told herself that she would get over him, but could she keep her own promise? She glanced up as Misty laughed at something he said, and placed her hand on his arm, his real best friend. She closed her eyes tight and found herself curling up in Gary's arms, her heart numb.

She woke to the sound of the giant gates sliding open upon their arrival. Her mother hurried them all inside. May knew she'd disappear again as soon as they were inside, and wished she could go to help Caroline sort out the mess she had created. Just as expected, the gates closed again the moment they were inside, leaving her mother standing on the other side, waving towards her. May could only smile weakly in her direction.

Having rested a little, May lay fully conscious, and the weight of her scars and bruises bore down on her, the wave of pain making her visibly cringe. A relentless cold wind whipped around her making her tense to hold back her shivers. Her loose blonde hair blew with it. Gary continued to carry her until they were in the house, when she asked him to set her down and claimed she was okay to walk on her own from there.

She didn't know what would happen now that they were back, but she knew one thing for certain- Ash would be going home. She also found herself believing that if he didn't say goodbye last time, he wouldn't care to say it this time. Her legs screamed in agony as she started to climb the stairs, but she wouldn't go back and ask for Gary's help now. She didn't stop until she reached her room and collapsed onto her bed, the exhaustion almost too much for her. She'd sleep, and when she woke up she didn't expect to see Ash. Her heart ached as she thought of him returning home with Misty, her arm still on his as they shared jokes she wouldn't understand. She forced herself to close her eyes and let the sleep take over, too exhausted to cry.

She woke to the sound of her door closing. She bolted upright in the dark, ready to jump up despite the pain, but the light flicked on to reveal Gary standing by the door. She relaxed, glancing out of the window- it had to be at least midnight for it to be so dark and so quiet. She lay back in her bed as he walked over, but didn't sit.

"You can sit, you know," she said weakly with a smile. He returned her smile but said nothing, sitting himself on the side of the bed beside her. She didn't feel nervous, only curious to know why he'd decided to come and talk to her so late at night. She waited.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better," she lied. "I mean, it still hurts, but…" She was desperate to ask him. To ask him whether Ash was sleeping in his room or whether he'd gone home, but she didn't dare. She was to marry Gary, and although she didn't love him, he didn't deserve to get hurt. "Did you really come here so late just to check on me?"

He winced, and she worried if the question had seemed rude, but then he straightened up. "No, I wanted to talk to you. To get something off my mind. I'm gonna ask you something, and I don't want you to be worried about telling me the truth. I won't be hurt at all."

Her heart quickened a little, but she gave a nod.

"You love Ash, right?"

Her heart seemed to stop altogether. She fumbled around for the right words to say, but she wasn't sure what those were. Gary continued to watch her stutter but held up his hand.

"It's alright, May. I've known for a while. It's not hard to tell."

She dropped her head, suddenly ashamed. She'd kissed Ash when she'd been promised to Gary, and it hadn't even been worth it, now that she'd found out Ash was probably just experimenting. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I didn't come here for an apology." May looked up again. "I came to tell you that I want you to feel like you can be with him if you want. I'll even tell your Mom that we're getting along great and you can tell all your friends the same, and we can keep it as our secret, and figure out how we'll sort it out along the way."

May could only blink, Gary's words bouncing around in her mind. They meant a lot, but they would have meant a lot more if she thought there was a chance she could be with Ash. Though, as she sat there, she felt a flicker of hope in her chest.

"Thank you, Gary." She reached out and took his hands in hers, pushing back the tears that threatened to fall. "That really means a lot to me."

Once she dropped his hands, Gary stood. She thanked him again as he left, but he only laughed at her, saying she didn't need to thank him as he hadn't done anything at all. Once the door shut, she lay for a while, staring at the wall opposite her. The more she thought about it, the more her heart quickened. One obstacle was out of the way. Perhaps there was some hope, especially if her meeting with Giovanni went well…

She found herself swinging her legs over the side of the bed, and slowly pushed herself up. She winced at the pain, but stood nonetheless. She wore her sleep shorts, revealing the bruises and cuts from the glass that littered her legs. She scowled at them as she headed for the door and slid it open, checking that Gary had left. He had. She took a deep breath and quickly walked towards Ash's room. This was it- one last chance. If he was there, if he hadn't left her and had chose to stay with her while others went home, then there was a chance still. She paused before his door, nervous and praying that she'd find him sleeping there. _Please, please, please._

She pushed down the handle and slowly inched the door open in silence. The light from the corridor slowly filtered into his room as the door opened wider, and her breath caught in her throat. Ash was lying there, his face peaceful in his sleep, holding a pillow from her own bed. He'd been in her room while she was asleep, but probably hadn't wanted to wake her, and… he'd taken a pillow from the other side of her bed to help him sleep? May resisted the urge to jump on him and kiss him for the rest of the night. Instead, she smiled wide and watched him for a second. Yes, there was still a chance, and May went to bed that night and slept better than she ever had before.

* * *

Once she made it downstairs in the morning, still in her pyjamas and rubbing her eyes, she was greeted by arms around her neck. She hugged her friend back, giggling though the pain spread across her whole body.

"Dawn, you'll hurt her," Drew scolded, though he wore a smile on his face still. She smiled over at him as Dawn pulled away, and he gave her a friendly wink. Dawn had been cooking breakfast.

"Your mom hasn't come back yet," Dawn started, taking May's hand to lead her to the kitchen. "So I thought I'd make some food and we can have a day off."

She didn't know if Dawn had ever cooked before, and worried about the outcome, but even the gesture warmed May's heart. She was about to thank her friend when they crossed into the dining room, and she spotted Ash sitting at the bar, talking to Serena. He turned as they entered, and his eyes met hers. He didn't break the eye contact until he looked down at her damaged legs, and she suddenly wished she'd taken the time to change into pants. Although she was ashamed, she kept watching Ash, and could have sworn she saw a blush spread lightly across his cheeks. Dawn kept speaking for the next hour, running around the kitchen as she tried her best to organise all the food she was making for everyone. Everyone kept May so busy that she didn't get a single moment to speak to Ash. They shared a few glances, and every time Ash would seem somewhat flustered.

Once the food was ready, Dawn spread the plates of it across the table. Although some of it seemed a little overcooked or messy, it tasted good, and she let herself let go, and spent the time laughing with her friends. They spent the next two hours there, talking amongst themselves and eating. May found herself feeling much better at the end of it, though she still winced as she jumped down from her stool. She thanked Dawn for the food and hurried back upstairs, aware of Ash's eyes on her back as she left early. She hurried as fast as her pained legs could manage to her room. She pulled a red jumped over her head and slipped on a pair of black jeans, covering her legs. She brushed her blonde hair, which now touched her shoulders. She would have tied it back, but it was cold. She silently wished for her brown hair to hurry back as she brushed through it and headed back downstairs. Everyone still sat in the dining room, minus Ash.

"Where's Ash?" She asked, staying by the door. Gary gave her a quick wink, which she ignored, but smiled slightly towards him.

"He went out for a walk in the gardens, I think," Dawn answered. Before she could say anything else, May slipped away from door and headed into the huge hallway towards the door. There were still guards posted outside, but noticeable less than last time she'd left these doors. They let her slip past into the gardens, which were slightly cold, but not unbearable. She decided she would go to the swing chair that she and Gary had first talked properly on, as the walk there covered a lot of the gardens anyway, and it would be hard to miss Ash. After last night, she didn't even know what she would say. She was still mad at him for leaving her without saying goodbye, but she could forget that for now. Now, she just needed to check he was okay after what she'd witnessed in the Arena.

She passed countless rosebushes and fountains, several pathways that branched off into even more, but kept on the main pathway that circled the building until she reached the back, where she turned to head to the chair, and spotted Ash heading back up that same pathway towards her. He seemed to falter as he noticed her, but kept approaching her, despite the fact that she had stopped in her tracks, her throat turning dry, any words she might have wanted to say catching in her throat.

"Hey, May."

"Hey,"she croaked, giving him a shaky smile. He didn't say anything, so she spoke again. "You wanna sit?" She gestured to the swing chair in the direction he'd just come.

"Sure." He turned, walking off, his hands stuck in his pockets. She followed a step behind him, breathing heavily. It had been quite a while since they'd last spoken, and there was so much she needed to say and needed to know. Was it going to be awkward now that they hadn't spoken properly as friends in days? She sat herself on the cold wooden chair with a fair distance between herself and Ash.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, gesturing towards her legs.

"They hurt, but it's not that bad. Are you?"

He looked a lot better after his night of decent sleep, and though his hair was messy, it fell around his face in such a handsome manner that she was glad it was. "Yeah, a lot better now that we're out." He gave her a sheepish grin, and she held back her blush as well as she could.

"It doesn't even feel real," she breathed, looking out across the gardens. He nodded. She thought about bringing up the day he left, but she was too afraid of creating a rift between them, so she kept her mouth shut as they sat in silence for a few moments.

"You stayed."

Ash tensed a little before he spoke. "Yeah."

She turned to him again, her eyes glowing. "Why?"

"I had to make sure you were okay, and… I didn't want to just leave again. I want to stay here a while with you. I've missed my best friend, more than you know." He muttered the last part, almost as if he didn't actually want her to hear it. Her smile was a sad one, but her heart raced in excitement.

"I'm glad you stayed." She paused, considering her next words, and before she could stop herself, spurted them out. "You took a pillow from my room last night."

May had suspected Ash of blushing many times, but had never actually been able to tell if he was. Now, for the first time, the red spread across his cheeks so brightly and quickly that she almost blushed herself. He had tensed up and looked away from her. She hoped she hadn't crossed a line.

"Sorry," he spoke, looking as far away from her as he could. She chuckled a little.

"It's alright, I wasn't telling you off, I was just commenting." She wrung her hands together in her lap, staring down at them with a smile. "Why did you take it?"

She thought he might not answer the question, but to her surprise his answer came quickly. "It helped me to sleep. I'll put it back."

The answer came so calmly and out of the blue that May's heart skipped a beat and she kept her head down so he wouldn't notice her eyes widening at his response. _It helped him sleep better… as if I was there? Is that what he means?_

"I'm sorry for giving up in there."

May looked up at him then. "Don't be sorry. I shouldn't have been angry at you for it, after everything you went through. You must have been terrified. I'm just sorry I couldn't do anything about it."

"You did do something about it." He smiled, and she smiled back at him. They fell into a comfortable silence for a few seconds. "You look cold."

She nodded and crossed her arms. "It's going to be winter soon."

Before she could say anything else, he'd slid himself across the bench towards her, and slipped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his chest to warm her up. Her heart soared. She fought to control her racing heart and butterflies.

"How long will you stay?" She asked as she lay her head on his chest. She held her breath until his answer came.

"I'll have a few weeks before my mom forces me home, I think," he answered, rubbing her arm, sending shivers down her. She breathed again. A few weeks. That was plenty of time to figure out something. He wouldn't be leaving her again. She closed her eyes, enjoying his warmth, as he kept rubbing her arm. "You'll be 18 soon, and then they'll start planning your wedding."

The words struck May. She wanted to explain to him everything that Gary had said to her the night before, but that would be a confession, and would scare him off, so instead she said, "He doesn't agree with the marriage, like me, so we're going to work something out."

She expected him to say something, but he didn't. Instead, he seemed to grip her tighter and she felt him lean towards her, pause for a second, then kiss the back of her head gently. Her face burned. What was this, whatever they were? They sat, entwined with one another, in silence, as the question burned into her mind- what are we? She couldn't ask him, she knew she wouldn't be able to, but she wished she knew. For now, though, she'd be more than happy to sneak around with him doing whatever. She was happier than she'd ever been. After a while, Ash squeezed her gently, and she lifted her head to him.

"I think we should go back inside, or they'll start to get suspicious."

"Alright," she agreed, resenting the cold that spread across her as soon as he removed his arm from her shoulder. She stood first, brushing off her legs and began to head back down the pavement.

"May."

She stopped, turning on her heels and waited for him to approach her, her heart in her throat. He walked right up to her, so close she could feel his breath upon her face when he looked down at her. She froze, waiting for him to say whatever he needed to say before they went back inside, but he said nothing. She almost melted when he moved his hand to her face, placing it on her cheek. He looked confused, and somewhat scared, and she knew her own expression mirrored his. Her breath caught in her throat when he started to lean in, and kissed her again. She leaned into it, unable to hold herself back, wrapping her arms around his neck and placing one hand in his hair. She could no longer feel her heart beating against her chest, as if it had stopped, as if the world had stopped around her. A warmth spread across her that she had never felt before, that made her want more, that made her want things that she'd never wanted before, and she would have shuddered had she not been so involved with the kiss, that carried on for a few seconds, Ash's hand on her waist. She found herself wishing his hand would move elsewhere, but pushed the thought back, almost scared of it.

He pulled away from her then, keeping his hand on her waist. All their shared glances, the time they'd slept next to each other, and the kisses they'd shared, had led to this. She knew there was a silent confession of attraction, and her heart soared inside her. Her whole body had melted in happiness, and she wanted to throw her arms around him and never let go. They continued to watch each other for a moment, not exchanging a word, before May leaned up quickly and kissed him again. His hand rested on the small of her back, and she shivered as it moved ever so slightly down, but stayed on her back. She wished she could tell him that she wanted his hands on her, but she knew she didn't need to say a word as they continued to kiss each other hungrily, until she broke away, and caught Ash glancing at the back door. She looked to the door, then back up at him. She knew they could easily sneak through the back door and up the stairs without their friends seeing, and the thought alone almost send her mad, but she knew she shouldn't, knew it would be too much, but… Ash was looking at her in a way he never had before and had looked at the door again, as if he were thinking.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he pulled her in for a third and final kiss. This time, his hand slipped lower than her back, and she moaned slightly, gripping his hair. The kiss was quick, and once she moved away, she took hold of his hand and quickly headed down the path. It seemed like mere seconds until they were sneaking through the door, May giggling slightly as they slipped through the halls, checking their friends were still occupied, and began to climb the stairs, her hand still in his.

They hurried, May desperate for his hands to be on her again, and thought about nothing but her love for Ash. They reached her door in seconds, and began to kiss again, May fumbling behind her for the handle and they stumbled back into the room. Without breaking away, as Ash's hands roamed, she turned the lock on her door and moved towards the bed. As they approached, Ash pulled away, and looked towards herself and the bed, silently asking her if she was sure. She nodded. Lips crashing against each other, they fell down onto the bed, May crawling on top of him, her waist on top of his, and moaned quietly as she began to move, still kissing him. She pulled the jumper over her head quickly, scrambling to remove her jeans too as she tried to maintain the kiss. She shook from nerves and love and ecstasy as Ash removed his own pants and began to kiss her neck gently, slowly moving down to her chest. She bit back her moan, digging her nails into his bare back as he slowly lowered her onto him, unable to wait any longer, but let it slip as she felt him push inside her. As Ash slowly began to move, she pulled the covers up over them, still moaning, and gave him her everything.

* * *

She woke slowly, reaching out to stretch her arms, and sat up slowly. Her clothes lay in a pile on the floor, and though the covers covered her, she shuddered. A smile had been on her face the whole time. She'd never thought of the kind of intimacy she'd just shared with Ash until the heat of the moment, but it had been _so_ good, and May's heart was filled with joy. She had been wrong, though he hadn't said it yet. Ash surely had feelings for her.

She knew he must have left while she was sleeping, but didn't blame him. He had to be seen downstairs, or their friends would start to wonder where they'd gone to, and they couldn't know what they'd done, not yet. So she slipped out of the bed and pulled her clothes back on. She wished he could have stayed, so when she woke up she could have lay her head on his chest and stayed there the rest of the day. She brushed her hair quickly in the mirror after noticing the mess it had become, and left her room, hurrying down the stairs. She could hear her friends in the living room.

May entered the living room. Her friends looked up at her, including Ash. To her surprise, he didn't blush or look away. Instead they shared a secret, silent word with one another and she barely concealed her smile. Yes, for now, this would do just fine.

She and her friends spent the rest of the night huddled up on the sofas in the living room watching whatever they could find on the TV. It was a luxury they hadn't enjoyed for a while, and May would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy every second of it. She'd sat in the only free position next to Dawn on the end of the sofa, across the room from Ash, meaning they still hadn't spoken since their silent- or not so silent- confession earlier when they began to go to bed. May chose not to confront him, as her friends would notice and she was worried they would find out what she'd done.

Once she'd entered her room and thrown off her clothes again she threw herself back onto the bed, arms spread wide, and stared at the ceiling. What would she even say to Ash now? Were there any words to express herself fully, to do her feelings justice? Deep inside her, May stressed that Ash was merely physically attracted to her, and thought they were just having fun. She shuddered, suddenly hating the fact that she was naked, and walked to her wardrobe to grab a pair of pyjamas that completely covered her.

She planned on sleeping. The thought of the conversation between her and Ash frightened her too greatly to send her to his room now, despite the fact that most of their friends would be fast asleep. But sleep didn't come easy. She lay in the dark, the covers pulled up to her chest and her knees tucked there too. She listened to the silence, terrified. If Giovanni was out there, would he come for her? Was she stupid for letting him get away for her own selfish gain? Ash hadn't had the chance to ask her about it yet, but she knew he would eventually.

Too many questions swirled around in her mind, threatening to drive her insane. Questions- she had too many questions to ask him. Sighing, she slipped out of her bed again and walked quickly to the door before she could stop herself.

By the time she reached Ash's room, she had cold feet. She stood before his door, her arms crossed to shield her from the cold of the open air. She closed her eyes tight, telling herself it was only Ash, when the sound of the door opening made her open them wide again.

Ash looked down upon her, his hand still resting on the handle, his mouth now slightly open in surprise. May's heart jolted in her chest. She opened her mouth to speak, but before the words could come, his lips were upon hers again. Feeling his hand rest on the small of his back and the warmth of his skin, she leaned into him, and he gently eased them back into his room, until he could push the door closed with his foot, being careful to be as quiet as possible. A chill went down May's spine. There was something strangely exciting about the secrecy of it all, and it only led her to press further into him, her lips caressing his slowly but roughly- meaningfully. He continued to lead her back until they fell back onto his bed, and the questions clouding her mind disappeared completely.

And May decided that no matter what this was between them, she never wanted it to stop.

* * *

 **So, just as many people voted for no lemon/only suggestive parts as for lemon itself. So I went for the in-between option and began to write it, but not in full. If anyone is interested in the full thing, I could perhaps write one and post it as a separate chapter so those who don't want to read it don't have to.**

 **Sorry about the delay again!**


	16. Freedom

**Hi guys,**

 **Sorry for the shorter chapter- I felt this chapter covered everything I wanted it to in a smaller number of words.**

 **MasterFrench- to be honest with you, I'm not sure. I started this account in 2014 so a long time ago and I honestly don't remember what I was thinking. You're right, Queen of Fire or Princess of Darkness does sound cooler x3**

* * *

The next two weeks were much the same for May. Her friends stayed around her, Ash included. Dawn was eager to return home to see her mother, but also deathly afraid. As were the others. Paul seemed fine with the fact that his parents hadn't been located, but May spotted the darkness that crossed his face when the others looked away. She hoped maybe she could do something about that, in due time.

Her situation with Ash had stayed the same. They snuck around together, stealing kisses whenever they were sure no one was looking. More than a few times, she'd snuck into his room again in the middle of the night. She found that sleeping alone didn't feel the same anymore- she was always thinking about the fact that he was just a moment away, and how much better she'd sleep if she felt his arms around her, or could rest her head on his chest.

She didn't tell him she loved him. There were times- many times- when she thought she would. When a silence fell over them as she looked into his eyes, or as they lay together in the night, talking well into the night. She wanted to, so badly, but she was too afraid. She didn't want to drive him away, she was too afraid that he wouldn't return her feelings and she would ruin what they had. So she put it off again and again, pushing it to the back of her mind as best she could. It could always wait just one more day.

But the day had come- the day when she'd agreed to meet Giovanni, and she would have to hurry if she were to meet him there before he disappeared again.

She hadn't told Ash. She knew he would try to stop her because the risk was too high. She knew he'd be mad at her when she returned, _if_ she returned… but by then, it would be done, and all would be revealed to everyone. She had to do this. For herself. For once, she would be selfish. Once again, she would risk her life. She had to.

It was early morning when she dressed to leave. Outside, the sun was still rising. She'd shoved on a pair of jeans and a hoodie, so she could pull the hood over her head and avoid detection. As she pulled her shoes on, the guilt hit her hard. She should have told Ash, but it was too late for that now.

She was ripped from her thoughts at the sound of her door opening. Dawn walked in, taking a step before she froze, noticing her friend was dressed and ready to go off somewhere. She cocked her head, and May's throat closed up, unable to conjure up any decent excuses.

"You're going somewhere?" Dawn asked, closing the door quietly behind her. May supposed she had no way out of it now. She had to tell her, and pray that her friend would let her go without notifying anyone first. She would have to convince her that it was the right thing, and that included…

She sighed. Her friend didn't sit, eyeing her suspiciously. "Ash and I have been seeing each other," she spat out before she could convince herself not to. Dawn's eyes lit up.

"You're serious?" Her friend squeaked, now hurrying to sit beside May on the bed. May nodded. Dawn pondered for a moment. "When you say you've been seeing each other, you mean…?"

May's cheeks flushed. "We've been together. In all ways." She gestured to show Dawn what she meant without having to say the words. Her friend's eyebrows raised up, her face showing her shock, and her wicked delight. She smirked, nudging her friend with her shoulder.

"Well, look at you. So that means he's your boyfriend?"

May dropped her head, unsure of how to answer the question. "No, not exactly. We've been seeing each other, talking all the time, and, you know… kissing and whatnot, but I'm too afraid to tell him how I feel in case I ruin it. He hasn't said anything to me about it."

"But you want to be with him?"

May's eyes glowed as she raised her head again to meet Dawn's eyes. "More than anything." She paused, swallowing hard, and Dawn noticed. "And… that's why I have to go where I'm going today."

Dawn's voice lowered, her solemn face back, she asked, "Where are you going?"

"Remember when I fought Giovanni, and he appeared to be a psychic type?" Dawn nodded. "Well, did you notice that he was no longer a psychic type when I fought him the second type?"

By the look on Dawn's face, she knew the thought hadn't occurred to her friend. She twisted her face, her brows furrowing. "How?"

"He has this device, the watch around his wrist…" She spoke in a hushed tone. "He uses it to change his type. That's where I'm going."

She reached for the bag she'd prepared for herself, and pulled out the Pokeballs she'd stashed in there. "These are his. I blackmailed him."

Her eyes had widened, and May knew the protests were coming before Dawn even opened her mouth, so she held up a hand, silencing her friend. "I know it's dangerous, but he has nothing to fight me with now but his raw power, and he wouldn't risk using that in public, so I'm meeting him in the city. He's going to show me where he obtained the watch, so I can get one myself, and change my type."

"To water?" Dawn asked, her voice barely more than a whisper now.

"Yes."

Dawn ran a hand through her hair, trying to take in the information. She knew it would tear her friend apart, but May had to go. Dawn had to let her go. She waited for her friend to process the situation, then stood, closing the bag and slinging it over her back. She turned to Dawn. "Please, Dawn."

Though her face was grave, and her eyes gave away the answer she wanted to give, Dawn nodded. Relief flooded May, but she didn't pause to say goodbye as she opened the window and began to climb down the trellis.

* * *

She recognised him right away, even though he'd used the same trick as her and had a hood pulled down over his eyes. Once he saw her, he began walking, and she followed, a few steps behind, her hands shoved in her pockets and looking around as though she were a casual tourist. He veered around a corner, and she stalked him, until they entered the woods, and her heart began to hammer in her chest. She thought about turning back, about returning home and running off with Ash instead, but she had come too far to turn back now. So she followed him into the trees, until another figure appeared in the shadows.

She froze. If they were about to gang up on her, she wouldn't go down without a fight. He'd been foolish to lead her into the woods, where she could unleash her full power on them. She didn't know who he'd brought along, but she was willing to beat she could defeat them both.

Then he stepped out into the clearing, and she relaxed a little. He was perhaps the same age as her, his hair was the brightest of yellows and a messy nest of curls. He pushed up the large glasses resting on the end of his nose as he inspected her. Giovanni merely crossed his arms and rested against the trunk of a tree. May remained silent, waiting for an explanation.

"This is Clemont," Giovanni finally spoke once Clemont took a step back, giving him a nod. "He made the device for me."

Clemont nodded. "My whole life I've created devices that have never been seen before, but no one ever appreciated my work. You can hardly blame me for allowing someone, anyone, to finally use one of my works of art."

May's breath caught in her throat. "And you can truly give one to me, too?"

"I can, but do you know the risks?"

She glanced at Giovanni, but his face was an unreadable mask. She hadn't had time to ask him of any risks, but… he seemed fine and healthy, and that was good enough for her. Still, she shook her head, figuring she better hear it first.

"I have devices that can change you into a type. I have devices that can allow you to switch between different types. But all have the same consequence- you will never be able to change back." He gestured to Giovanni. "His curses him to never have a true type. He is typeless, and anyone that assessed him properly would know it. If you perhaps wanted to change into an electric type, you'd be electric for the rest of your life."

That didn't seem so bad- she had expected that. She opened her mouth to tell him that she accepted the consequences, but he spoke again.

"There is also a chance that you could lose a part of yourself," he said gravely, and her heart sank. "Or, the chance that your body will reject the change and go into shock."

Her heart was pounding in her chest, and a sharp nausea rose in her stomach, the fear closing her throat. She fought to push it down, but her hands shook. "And how high is that chance?"

Clemont shrugged. "Fifty-fifty."

Though she was nearly sick at the thought, May nodded. "I'd like to change to a water type."

Clemont began to grind his jaw, glancing at Giovanni, who shrugged. He turned back to May, his face grim. "Alright, so be it. You'll have to follow me. I'm staying in a room in the Pokemon Centre, and I have some there."

May nodded, and Clemont began to walk back the way she'd came. Before she followed him, May slung the bag over her shoulder, rummaging in it until she'd collected all of Giovanni's Pokemon. In silence, she handed them to him, hardly able to look him in the eye. He grunted in thanks, and she walked off to follow Clemont.

* * *

His room was filled with machines. Some of them looked worn or broken, but others were magnificent- devices May had never thought of before. She marvelled at them as she waited by his door for him to collect the watch she longed for. Suddenly, the thought hit her- how would she pay for it?

"What do you want for it?" she asked. Clemont shook his head as he continued to rummage through his bag.

"I don't want anything for it, only for you to appreciate it. The more people that have them, the more likely they are to take off, and people will see me for the great scientist that I am."

"Aren't you concerned about the risks?"

Clemont looked up at her then, hurt flashing in his eyes. "I am. That's why I lay them out clearly before the person. It's always their choice, and... I am working on creating devices that will no longer carry that risk."

May didn't have time to wait for Clemont to develop a better alternative. If she didn't act quickly, she'd be forced to marry Gary and give up Ash. She was free from her prison now, but she'd never truly be free until she could tell everyone that they were together- until she could be by his side. She kept quiet.

Finally, he stood, holding it in his hand. Her breath had become shaky.

He approached her, holding it out in his hand. It looked identical to the one Giovanni had worn. Holding out her all-but-steady hand, she made to take it from him, when a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. She panicked, thrashing against the grip of whoever held her. She had been so close, _too_ _close,_ for it to end this way.

"May, stop." The hands tightened on her shoulders. Drew. Dawn had told him, knowing he would come to stop her. Silently begging for his forgiveness, she gathered her power within her chest and pushed it outwards, heating her skin up. He yelped, releasing her shoulders as he jolted back in pain. In the split second she had, she lunged forward, snatching the watch from Clemont's hand, and flung it around her wrist.

She felt it immediately. Her body was flung back, her arms outstretched, and she began to glow. Her mind shut off, her eyes glazing over, as vines of blue ink spread across her skin from her wrist where the watch now sat, extending across her, up her neck and to her face, even into her eyes. Drew watched, near blinded by the light shining from her, screaming her name, but she couldn't hear him. She couldn't see, couldn't hear, could only feel the warmth within her, along with a searing pain in every part of her. The blue vines extended, travelling through her eyes and down, further and further until it reached her heart, and pierced straight through it.

She let out a cry louder than she ever had, and crumpled to the floor. Her senses returned to her, the pain fading away, but she continued to shake, lying curled up on the carpet. Drew ran to her, calling her name, kneeling beside her and shaking her limp body. She couldn't move. Overwhelmed, she began to cry loudly. Everything felt a little different. She glanced at her hand without moving, and noticed the blue ink was gone.

"What have you done to her?!" Drew was shouting to Clemont. May still couldn't move.

"Only what she asked me to- I changed her to a water type."

Drew's face turned a ghostly shade of white as he looked back down to her, his eyes wide. His lip trembled as he scooped her up into his arms, holding her against his chest. Even his touch felt different to her.

"How long will this last?" Drew asked, gesturing down to May's body. Even her eyes stilled now, her face expressionless.

"I can't say. It depends on her own strength. My only warning is… she may not be the same person. She will act the same and be the same as she was before, but a person's type defines them… she will feel different to you."

They exchanged only a few more words before Drew hurried from the room, holding her tight in his arms, and ran from the building. Night was already beginning to fall as he ran, as fast as he could manage, back to her manor. He spoke to her a few times in a quiet, soothing tone, but she barely heard him, and her mind couldn't find a response. She remained lifeless.

When he burst through the door, Dawn was waiting for him. In the middle of the night, the manor was quiet, and Dawn's gasp echoed around the hall. She clasped her hand over her mouth, hurrying to May's side, but Drew rushed past her up the stairs. He set her down on her bed, keeping a hand on her cheek, still speaking to her, waiting for a response. She pushed, but she couldn't.

"I was too late." Drew shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. "How am I going to explain this to Ash?"

"Explain what to me?" He spoke from the door. Despite her lifeless state, May's heart jumped in her chest at the sound of his voice. She longed for him, but she couldn't force herself to move yet. She was trapped inside her own body, her limbs and eyes unmoving, as though she were dead. She screamed inside her own mind, banging on the walls, but she couldn't escape. She had explain, to make him understand…

As soon as he lay his eyes upon her, he rushed to her, pushing past Drew. All the secrets they'd kept would come out now, she knew. Ash shook her shoulders, calling her name, his face contorted with terror, and she wanted nothing more than to hold him. To tell him that she'd done this for him. He had to understand.

"What happened to her?" Ash demanded, turning to Dawn. Fragile, the girl burst into tears, throwing her hands over her face.

"Ash," Drew spoke. Ash turned to him, the terror still present on his face, in his eyes. "She…" He paused. "She… that watch she's wearing on her wrist, she… she used it to change her type."

Ash's eyes glazed over as Drew explained, but he didn't speak. He looked down at her. She wondered if he were angry. He didn't ask what type she'd changed to. He knew.

He lowered himself to sit beside her on the bed, turning her head to face him. She could see him properly now, and began to cry. Even when her face remained straight, the tears flooded from her eyes. He brushed them away, rubbing a hand across his cheek.

"You shouldn't have done this, May. You didn't have to change your type for me. We would have found a way." He leaned in to kiss her gently for a moment. Behind him, she could see Drew piecing things together as he finally began to understand. Ash turned to them again.

"I'll let you know if she returns to normal."

With his dismissal, they turned to leave, and he faced her again. She was so exhausted from the change, she struggled to keep herself awake as he began to stroke her hair.

"I'm sorry, May," he said quietly to her. "I'm sorry for this. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this earlier. I hope this works. I hope you haven't made a mistake, because…" He paused, his hand stopping where it was. "I was too afraid to tell you until now, but I love you."

She felt her heart soar in her chest, but at the same time crash to the floor. She screamed inside her head. It ached. She wanted nothing more than to say it back to him. This was it- her risk was worth it. He loved her. She cried harder. She'd never felt so warm and complete.

He leaned over to kiss her forehead, and as pulled away, she was pulled into sleep.

When she woke, the light shining through the window almost blinded her. She hissed, raising a hand over her eyes, and then froze. She'd moved her hand. She bolted upright, holding her hands before her eyes. They moved perfectly. She felt everything the way she had before. She cried with relief. This was it. She was free. Her heart soared with a joy she'd never felt before. Ash loved her, and she loved him, and now that she was the same type as him officially, no one could say anything about them being together. She'd overcome her final hurdle, and was excited about the future for the first time in her life.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, not caring that she still wore the clothes she'd worn the day before, and ran for his room. She threw open his door, and he was upright immediately, and unreadable expression on his face. After a moment, his frown spread into a grin, and she returned it. She barely pushed the door closed behind her before she ran to him, climbing onto the bed and onto his lap. He smiled as she pushed him down, her lips crashing against his, her kiss rough. She pushed a hand through his hair as she adjusted. With her legs either side of him, she moved her hands to his chest, to lift his shirt. It had all happened so quickly, and May was so ecstatic, but something felt strange, different...

He pulled away from her suddenly, and she still smirked in his direction, looking up from his chest, but his face shook the look from her own face. His face was stricken. She blinked quickly, her stomach tightening.

"What is it?" She asked after a moment. His eyes were roaming over her, as if he were looking for something. "Ash?"

"I don't feel it…" he said, his voice barely a whisper. "You're not you. I don't feel like I'm kissing May anymore. You're not you anymore. I can't…" his voice trailed off as he continued to watch her, his eyes heavy with grief but wide with fear. "What have you done…?"

Horror clawed at May's chest. She moved back, holding her hands up before her. She shook her head, tears sliding down her cheeks again as she shook her head. _No, no, no._ Her hands looked the same, but…

 _She may not be the same person… she will feel different to you._

Ash loved the old May, and the only May loved him. She wasn't the same person. Water type May was a different person, trapped in the same body. Her heart shattered on the floor. She scrambled for the watch, hardly able to see her through her tears. She pulled it from her wrist and hurled it at the wall, screaming. It smashed against it, falling in pieces to the floor. She felt the same. She cried louder, and Ash held his hands out, but didn't touch her. He didn't love this May. She was like a different person trapped in her body. She had ruined it after all. She thought she might never stop crying again.

Suddenly, she bolted upright, wiping her tears away frantically, even as more fell. She scrambled off him, hurrying, and bent before the smashed watch on the floor, gathering the pieces. He had told her he loved her, after all this time, and she wouldn't give up on that now. She had to try. She had to do something.

"May, what are you doing?" Ash asked, throwing off the covers. She didn't answer him, only shoved the broken pieces into the pocket of her hoodie.

"Maybe…" she started, her voice shaking, "maybe he can reverse this somehow. Maybe… maybe I can use a fire type device, and then I'll be the same… I have to try."

Before she could say anything else, he was beside her, a hand on her shoulder. Silently telling him he was with her. When she'd gathered the pieces, they hurried out together. They didn't speak as they rushed for the city, for the Pokemon Centre. May's mind raced. She knew there was still some hope, and she'd cling onto it until there was none left at all.

They ran up the stairs, their breathing ragged, and May began to calm somewhat. It would be alright, they'd talk Clemont into letting her change back to a fire type. She'd survived the first time, meaning she was strong enough to survive the second time. She'd be back to normal, and Ash would love her still. Her mistake would probably affect her for a while, and perhaps she'd take a little longer to come back this time, but it was worth it. That morning, when she'd woken, she'd felt free for the first time. Free to be with Ash, to do whatever she wanted in this world. She longed to feel that again.

So they veered around the corner, rushing to Clemont's door, and flung it open, May's breathing ragged. Her heart sank.

The room was empty. He was gone.

May sank to her knees.


	17. Inner War

She hadn't left her room in two days. She and Ash had returned empty handed after searching the whole city for Clemont, May never speaking a word, and she'd snuck into her room, locked the door, and was yet to emerge. Dawn spent a good portion of her time knocking on her door, calling for May and speaking to her. May never spoke back. She wondered sometimes if she could even hear her. She'd tell her to come out, even if just for some food, or that her mother was due back soon and she didn't want to seem ill in front of her in case she gave it away.

Still no answer.

May was lying in bed. Admittedly, her stomach rumbled and ached from the lack of food, but she couldn't make herself move. She'd fallen into a pit, a pit that made her want to lie in her bed forever. The change was fully complete now, and she could feel it inside her. She felt different. She knew Ash could feel it too. She knew all of them would feel it, and they'd never look at her the same way. This was the price she would pay for her mistake, and she could never change that. She didn't want to see anyone ever again. She'd opened her palm once, reaching for the power inside her chest, but nothing came. It wasn't that she was weak from hunger, it was just… there was nothing felt. She hadn't mastered water type powers, and so she was weak yet again. She'd spent all that time becoming powerful to protect her friends, and now couldn't even conjure a droplet of water in her hands. She'd dropped her hand in shame and not tried again since.

On the second night, someone knocked on her door again. It was a different knock, and she knew it wasn't Dawn, but she still wouldn't answer.

"May, let me give you some food." It was Drew. Good. She had been worried it was Ash. She couldn't face him now- not yet. They'd spent the last two weeks all over each other, and now… well, now it was awkward, because he felt like he should still be kissing her, but he didn't feel the same about her. The situation was strange, and neither of them knew what they were to one another. May's heart stung in her chest, and she kept her mouth shut, waiting for Drew to leave.

"May, I'll only come in for a second if that's what you want."

She wanted to keep silent like she had for the past two days, but her stomach protested loudly and painfully, and so she stalked from her bed, knees wobbling, and unlocked the door. She was back in bed before Drew fully entered the room, holding a plate of food. He closed the door behind him and paced carefully to her, as if she would jump up to attack him, and handed her the plate. She ate quietly, but he hovered.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice hollow.

"Tell me what I can do to help."

"There's nothing anyone can do," she said, and she meant it. She wasn't being grumpy, she'd truly given up hope. She could think of nothing to fix her problem. Drew couldn't think of what else to say, and she wished he'd leave, if only just so she didn't have to watch his face contort with pity for her.

"Surely there's some way to change yourself back. I mean, it was only a machine that changed you… Your type is a part of you, a part of your soul… your fire is still in there somewhere."

"I don't know about that, Drew," she answered, but gave him a smile of appreciation for trying to comfort her. He sighed heavily and headed for the door.

"Dawn is gonna leave soon. It's about time we met our parents, but she doesn't want to leave you like this. Talk to her."

He shut the door behind him. May rested her plate on her knee and rubbed her hands across her face, thinking about his words. Perhaps the fire was still in her soul, but if so, why couldn't she find it? She'd never be able to push through the water type barrier that had been placed up now anyway. She could feel it, and it was too strong, while she was too weak. But to be ripped from Ash when she had just gotten used to being by his side…

She rose suddenly, putting the plate to one side as she forced herself out of bed. Weakly, she dressed in comfortable clothes and prepared her goodbye to Dawn. It was unfair and selfish of her to keep Dawn here when she had a mother waiting at home for her, and a whole world waiting for her after. As she left the room, she wondered what the rest of them would do.

Dawn was sitting with Paul in the living room. Before May had made it through the door her friend had shot up, pulling May into a bone-crushing hug.

"Take it easy, Dawn," Paul said beside her, his face grim. May looked back at him, returning his look. She knew then that he understood. Dawn pulled away reluctantly.

"You're feeling better?" Dawn asked, the hope apparent in her tone. May forced a smile for her friend.

"In a way," she offered. "Where's Ash?"

Dawn winced at his name, as if she expected May to break down at the sound of it. May did feel as though she would, but fought to keep herself contained as she waited for Dawn's reply.

"He's with Drew, I think."

Of all of their friends, Drew and Ash had gotten on the least, most likely due to Drew's past with May. May cocked her head in confusion and waited, but it was Paul that spoke.

"They think there's a way to get you back to normal again."

Normal. The word hit may harder than she expected. She hadn't let herself think it yet… that she wasn't normal anymore. She swallowed hard and faced Paul. "I can feel the barrier inside myself. I can feel the way this works. My fire type is still inside me, but buried and surrounded by a barrier created by the water type. I can't break through that barrier."

"Have you tried?" He challenged.

"If you felt the strength of it, you'd say the same."

He looked as though he would challenge her, but remained silent instead. Dawn looked between them, a heaviness in her eyes. May suddenly remembered the reason she'd even bothered to leave her room- the thing she was currently failing to do. She plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Anyway, I feel alright."

Paul gave her a wary look, and she knew he didn't believe her, but perhaps knew what she was trying to do. Dawn smiled.

"That's great! You know, maybe you could even master the powers like you did with your fire powers."

She hid the fact that the mentioning of her fire powers almost made her wince. "Maybe one day, but I can't even create a droplet of water yet." She smiled sheepishly.

"With some time and practice though I know you-"

She stopped mid sentence and glanced behind May to the door. May turned to follow her eyes, and stopped as she caught sight of Ash by the door. The heaviness spread inside her, threatening to drag her down again into the pit she'd been stuck in for the past two days. He could hardly look at her.

"We should talk."

May glanced briefly at Dawn, who nodded her agreement. Without a word, May turned back to him, and followed him out of the room, into the garden and to the side of a fountain where he sat. As May sat beside him, she noticed how she felt the presence of the water beside her, and found herself reaching to drag a hand through it without thinking. A long moment passed before Ash spoke.

"I'm sorry."

"What for?" She resisted the urge to reach for his hand, keeping her hand in the water which somehow calmed her.

"That things have to be this way now."

"I'm sorry too." She felt the tears blossoming again. "This is all my fault, I ruined this."

"What was this?" He asked, the silent question that May hadn't dared to ask in the two weeks that they'd spent together. The question made her throat dry up and she didn't know if she could answer the question without breaking. She opened her mouth to speak

"I shouldn't have asked that, don't answer," he interrupted, holding out a hand. He looked to her then, his eyes burning. "I want to believe that you can fight it. Bring your old self back. Tell me that you'll try."

A tear slipped free then, sliding down her cheek. She knew a few days ago he would have reached out and wiped it away, but now he couldn't. "I can't. I've tried, and the barrier is too strong. I couldn't do anything against it."

"You can, May."

"I can't," she persisted, anger rising. She was falling again, back into the pit which would make her lock herself in her room and not speak to her friends.

"Yes you can."

"That's easy for you to say, you're not the one dealing with this," she hissed, her temper taking over.

"Am I not?" He asked quietly, anger in his own tone. That fast, she regretted her remark, but her anger was out now, and she felt the urge to smash the closest window to her.

"I can't do it so just let me be!"

"You can do it," he said again, calmly. She felt her temper snap inside her.

"I can't!" She screamed, standing and closing her eyes, her fists curling at her sides, feeling her anger push outward. She exploded.

When she opened her eyes, the rose bush beside her was on fire. Ash rushed to put it out, his water washing over the now ruined flowers. Her heart stopped.

"I-" she looked down at her hands. She closed her eyes again, feeling for her power, trying to gather it in her chest. Nothing. She cried out, her tears coming quick and fast as Ash threw his arms around her. She buried her head in his chest, and didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

* * *

Once her friends heard of her outburst, the mood had lightened a little. For May, she felt worse than she had beforehand. The outburst had merely teased her, reminded her of what she'd felt before she changed herself. Although it offered her some hope, she couldn't be happy, and she knew Ash sensed it as the group of friends sat around the living room together late in the evening.

"Your mom returns tomorrow," Dawn stated, changing the topic of conversation. May hadn't had time to properly bond with her mother yet, and she hoped she would get the chance to when she returned. Her father, too.

"I hope everything went alright," Drew offered to the conversation. May would have spoke, but she was so desperately exhausted. Drew and Dawn spoke back and forth for a moment, before May cleared her throat and interrupted.

"I'm really tired guys, I think I'll head to bed."

Ash was immediately on his feet, offering his hand to her. "I'll take you. I'm pretty tired myself."

She didn't say anything, just smiled and took his hand, wincing at the feeling of his skin. It would be selfish of her to try to kiss him, or even to try to hold onto his hand… but as they left the room, she looked down, noticing that he hadn't yet dropped it. He continued to hold it until they parted ways. May had almost closed her door when he called out to her suddenly from the corridor. He was back in an instant, leaning against the door.

"I was meaning to ask you, I just don't know how…" He paused, and her breathing became difficult as she braced herself for whatever he would ask her. "I just wondered… if maybe you would like to come travelling with me, if you manage to change yourself back."

Surprise flooded her, showing on her face, but she felt her happiness return slightly at even the thought of being able to travel freely with him, and only him. She smiled genuinely.

"I'd love to."

He took hold of both her hands then, holding them in his own, and a heat rose within her- the desire for him to kiss her. She forced it back down as she focused on controlling her ragged breathing.

"If you break this, I want…" He stopped again, taking a deep breath. "I want to be with you."

That was all that May had ever needed to hear. She felt the crack in her heart begin to heal slightly at his words, at the excitement they brought. She could have cried with joy as she answered.

"I want that too," she whispered, looking up to him. He raised one of her hands to his face and kissed it gently. A chill ran down her spine as it became harder to suppress her emotions. She knew he was testing where the line was between them now, where it would be until she figured out how to fix herself. He didn't want to cross it, but perhaps he still wanted her affection too. Though she thought about it, she didn't dare kiss him.

"Then fight it for us, and I'll stay here with you the whole time."

She nodded, tears welling in her eyes, and he dropped her hands. She leaned up and kissed his cheek before he turned to leave her alone for the night. Knowing he would stay there as long as she needed him to, she slept comfortably that night.

When she woke the next day, her mother still wasn't back. A guard by the door informed her that she was delayed, and it would be a few days before she returned. Silently, May rejoiced. The sooner her mother returned, the sooner the plans for her wedding would begin. She and Gary had spoken briefly since she'd changed, but never about the situation they were now stuck in.

So she waited. The same routine would take place every day. She'd wake, and eat breakfast with her friends. Once she'd eaten, she'd walk around the cold, frosty gardens for a long while with whoever would walk with her. Dawn would make lunch for them at midday, and then she would spend some time talking to Gary, or Drew, or Ash, once. Then she'd read a book, eat dinner with her friends, relax in the living room with them, and go to bed. Somehow, the routine didn't bore her until the fourth day, when she began to feel like time was wasted while she sat and did nothing, as her timer ran out.

She'd told Gary as much that morning. Her friend watched her, a hand to his chin as he tried to think of something that could take her mind off the situation.

"I have an idea," he started, lowering his hand, "but it's kind of stupid."

"Tell me."

Gary shrugged. "We could have a party of sorts, if you know what I mean. Your mom isn't back yet, so there's no one here to stop us. It might ease your mind, even if just for the night."

May wasn't totally against the idea, only afraid of what would happen if she let herself get carried away. Still, the thought of a night where she could forget her troubles was too tempting to let pass. So she nodded, and told him that she liked his idea, but that Dawn should plan it. He agreed, telling her she shouldn't worry herself about it and that he and Dawn would have everything ready by that evening. She had planned on returning to her routine, but the thought of spending another day in her bed trying to focus on a book while thoughts of Ash, and of herself on the floor as she changed, drowned her. Instead, she found Serena and Drew in the living room.

Once she told Serena they were to have a mini-party, the girl rushed off to find Dawn to make sure she at least played some part in the planning. Alone with Drew, she lay back on the sofa, letting out a breath. He moved to sit on the floor beside the sofa, leaning back close to where her head rested. She placed an arm across her face, as if that would block out the memories that still floated in her mind.

"You don't feel too good?" Drew inspected her. She didn't say anything, just shook her head. Drew fell silent for a second, silently debating with himself. Suddenly, he moved to face her, staying on the floor. "Then let's practice."

"Practice what?" May asked, peeking out from under her arm. She didn't feel like battling with Blaziken today.

"Bringing your fire powers out."

May sat up, bringing her knees up to her chest. "That only happened when I lost my temper. I can't control it."

"Then you need to learn to control it."

She wished it were that simple. The times she'd tried, she'd gotten nowhere. Though, she admitted to herself, she didn't try as hard as she could. The release of her fire powers had almost been too much for her, and her chest had hurt for a long while afterwards. "I don't know how."

"You said that you used to control your fire powers by focusing on pulling your powers in towards your chest, as if you were gathering it there. Why don't you try that, first?"

May wasn't in the mood to protest, and knew that she should be trying harder to regain her fire type powers. The last few days had exhausted her, and she barely had the energy to hold a conversation with anyone, never mind fight against the water type barrier within her now. She closed her eyes, pulling hard in search of any power she could find within herself. She felt nothing but the slightest twinkle of power at her core, and perhaps it was the thought of Ash that hit her, but she fought for it, trying to pull against it violently. Her face scrunched as she focused, and Drew leaned in towards her a little. Still, she pulled.

She heard Ash approach the door, but couldn't hear what he said as she fought the urge to let go of the thread she tugged at. Taking a deep breath, she hauled it one last time, and felt it give away towards her chest. A sharp pain struck her chest, and she cried out, letting go of the thread, but the pain continued. She couldn't open her eyes, couldn't fight against whatever she'd broken within herself as she curled over, screaming at the pain. She heard Ash call her name as a strong pair of hands gripped her shoulders, shaking her. The power continued to build in her chest as she cried out. Gripping the sofa beneath her, she pushed her powers one last time, feeling them explode around her as she screamed. The light within her flickered, the pain subsiding, and she panted, opening her eyes.

Her hands had burned through the sofa. The hand that she'd unknowingly placed on Ash had left a burn on his arm. She lifted a hand to her mouth- she'd hurt him.

"Ash, I'm sorry." She held out her hand to take his arm, but he moved away slightly.

"Don't worry about me, May, are you okay?"

"I-" she held up her hands before her face, inspecting them. They weren't burnt. So fire still wouldn't harm her. Her heart still hammered against her chest, but the pain had passed. "I'm fine."

Drew had backed away during her outburst, but dared to move back towards her now. Her chest ached as she realised she'd scared her own friend.

"Maybe you shouldn't push so hard. It's good to try, but… you broke through the barrier there, didn't you?"

She nodded slowly. "I saw myself beneath it and pulled. It came free, but the pain…" She shuddered. "I lost control."

"Do you feel any different?"

She hadn't thought about it. Beneath her chest, she felt her power thrumming, spreading down her limbs. "I do," she answered, looking to Ash, whose face was contorted with concern, and his eyes lit up with hope. A lump formed in her throat at the thought that she'd broken through the barrier. Gently, she began to pull again, as slowly as she could.

The agony hit her before her mind could even register it. She cried, doubling over as she fell, eyes wide, to the floor. Ash was by her side again instantly, but she couldn't move, couldn't even cry out. Her water type swirled around inside her, but her fire type built up in her core. Silently crying as Ash called for her, she pulled for her fire power, but the water blocked her, fighting against it. The two types battled inside her as she began her changing again.

She knew this changing would take longer. The pain that ripped through her chest, her heart and her limbs stopped her from feeling any sort of excitement. She wondered if the battle inside her would kill her. Ash continued to shake her, and she turned her eyes to him, but she couldn't move. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Dawn and Serena arrive.

"What's happening?" Dawn asked, running to her. Ash held a hand to keep her friends back as May writhed slightly on the floor.

"I think she's changing," Drew answered for him, as he was unable. She saw the nerves on his face, the excitement in his eyes, the hope that she would emerge from this attack a fire type again.

May regained the use of her limbs so suddenly that she jerked upright.

"May!" Drew grabbed for her to prevent her flying back down to the ground. She held her arm out, grabbing his for support as she gathered herself, her breath. Ash watched her, waiting with bated breath.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice weak and raspy.

"Are you okay?" Drew asked, leaning down to look into her eyes- trying to figure out which type she was.

"I can feel it," she started, swallowing hard. "The two types fighting each other inside me."

Drew's eyes widened as her grip on his arm tightened. "It's happening right now?"

She nodded. She held his arm tightly as she tried to push herself up to stand, her knees wobbling. Ash was upright immediately, holding onto her other elbow as she steadied herself. As well as the feeling of the war inside her, May felt something else too. She didn't feel like herself, as though someone else had taken over her body, and she was only in the passenger seat. Her senses were heightened- she felt her two types tugging her in different directions. Her fire type pulled her towards Ash, but her water type pulled her somewhere else, somewhere she couldn't figure out.

May couldn't stop her own body from moving away from Drew and Ash, and towards the door, following the tug of her water type inside her. She screamed inside her head for her to stop, but she was a zombie, ignoring her friends calling for her as she hurried through the hallway and through the kitchen. Ash followed behind her, calling for her to wait, but her body wouldn't obey, and she carried on walking, until she turned, pulling open the door to the gardens and rushing through, heading for the fountain. She turned.

A few feet ahead of her, Gary stood. The tugging became harder to bear, and the realisation struck her like a punch to the stomach. Gary watched her in confusion as she took the final few steps towards him, reaching out to grab his arm. She knew Ash had stopped behind her.

Her body was reaching out for Gary, even as he backed up, asking her what was wrong. She took hold of his arm, reaching up for his face.

Drew slammed into her side before she could kiss Gary, pushing her back with his hands. She screeched as they crashed into the side of the fountain, almost falling in. She was jolted back to reality, regaining her control as she clutched Drew to keep herself from toppling into the water. She realised she'd moved her limbs just as he pulled her into his chest, calming her.

Overwhelmed with this war inside her, with everything that was happening to her, May slid from his arms to the ground, her face in her hands, and began to sob. Drew leaned, whispering comforting lines to her, his hand resting gently on her shoulder.

"What-" Gary ran a hand through his hair. "What was that?"

"We think she's going through the change again. But it might take longer this time, and her water type might win this battle inside her… so we just have to wait." His hand gripped her shoulder a little tighter. "But she might not be herself sometimes, for a time."

May only continued to cry as Drew lifted her from the floor and carried her to her room.

It took her longer than she cared to admit to calm down. She regained her senses, but was always aware of what was going on inside her. Drew had stayed with her, but Ash had excused himself, saying he needed air. She hated herself for doing this to him, even if she hadn't been in control of herself. She'd tried to kiss Gary. Nothing would hurt him more. She couldn't keep thinking this way, she was going to drive herself mad…

"I still want to have the party," she announced. Drew's head snapped to her.

"Are you crazy?"

"Please, Drew, I really need this. I need to be able to forget this, for any amount of time."

He sighed. "Fine. I'll go tell Dawn it's still on, but if you even feel slightly strange, you have to tell me so I can bring you back to bed."

She agreed, and Drew disappeared to find Dawn. After a few minutes alone, she headed down the stairs to wait for the party to start.

* * *

They'd had limited resources to work with, but Dawn had done her best. The long dining room table was filled with party food, and drinks were gathered at the end of it for them. She knew her mother would notice they were gone when she returned, and just hoped she wouldn't be in too much trouble.

"I'm sorry it's not great," Dawn said, coming to stand by May's side as Serena grabbed herself a drink quickly. Music played from the speaker Dawn had set up in the corner of the room. Drew grabbed his own drink and joined Serena at the head of the table where the music would be the loudest. May forced herself to smile.

"It's really good Dawn. Thank you."

Dawn beamed. She reached out and grabbed a drink, thrusting it at May.

"You look like you really need this."

May had never drank properly before, and although she worried what the alcohol would do to her, she didn't care to stay sober for the rest of the night. So, she took the drink from Dawn's hand, drinking from it. She contained her cringe at the strange taste. Dawn announced that they would play a game of truth and dare from beside her, and her friends gathered around the table to play.

May participated as little as she could as she drank from her bottle slowly. Her friends laughed and joked with one another, and she found herself able to do the same. After the first bottle, she felt no different, and collected another.

She was in the middle of a conversation with Serena when she felt it. She felt the power thrumming inside her again, but different… She stopped hearing Serena as she felt inside her chest for the battle she'd stopped feeling, but only heard a dull drum. Her heart fluttered. The drink was subduing her water type, slowly and temporarily pushing and holding it down. She began to drink faster.

By the end of her third bottle, she was sure. Her water type was pushed further and further down, and she felt it less and less. She felt like her old self again. Quietly, as her friends talked together, she stumbled to the bathroom. She struggled to contain her breathing as she held her hands out, and a small flame erupted in her palms.

She ran from the bathroom for the living room, grabbing her fourth bottle and taking a long sip. Looking up to where some of her friends dance, she noticed Ash watching for her, and she felt that tug again, but only towards him. Would he notice the change in her? Would he love her again, even if just for tonight? She watched as his mouth opened, as if he would say something, and his eyes widened as he realised.

May's own eyes were wide as she stared back, her drinking becoming desperate. Yes, just for tonight would do. He stood and began to approach her. Her heart soared.


	18. An Old Friend

**Sorry about the late upload again, but at least they are being released for this fic!**

 **Also, sorry to those who voted for lemon- I tried my best to write the scene over and over again, but couldn't force myself to without cringing. It's part of the reason why this is so late, lol. Maybe one day.**

 **Anyway, I hope the action in this chapter makes up for it. :)**

* * *

She woke early the next day, the covers wrapped tightly around her naked body. She stretched her legs slightly, moaning and closing her eyes again, ready to drift back off to sleep.

Then, she felt it.

She jolted up in bed, clutching the covers to her chest. The fire within her had been suppressed once again, merely a flicker beneath all the water that had flooded over her soul. Her hand trembled as she glanced down at Ash beside her, still asleep. She slid off the bed slowly, as silent as possible, grabbing her clothes from the floor. Once she'd walked a few steps from the bed, she shuffled frantically into her clothes, as quickly as she could without making noise.

She almost made it to the door, when he stirred in the bed, his eyes flicking open and setting upon her. She swallowed hard, her hand stopping an inch from the handle. She had no idea how to handle the inevitable conversation.

"May, I-" He started, but she held up a hand, silencing him. She tried to think of something to say to him, but the look in his eyes shattered her. Her eyes shuttered as she fought the breakdown she could feel rising.

Just as she felt herself about to break, a rumble ripped through the silence, shaking the floor slightly. She slipped, reaching out for the wall to steady herself. Ash was on his feet, unashamed and unflinching as he pulled on his clothes. May swung open the door, glancing down the stairs. She was aware that she'd look a hot mess, her hair dishevelled and her eyes tired, but the overwhelming sense of unease sent her out into the corridor anyway, waiting for some hint at what had caused the commotion. A moment later, Ash joined her, and they slipped downstairs. The guard by the door was missing.

May quickly turned to Ash. "Go check if Dawn and the others are okay, I'll check outside." Ash nodded and rushed back upstairs to their friends' rooms. May hurried to the main entrance, throwing the heavy doors open as well as she could.

It took all her strength to contain her scream as she beheld the spluttering guards scattered across the garden, knocked from their posts, injured. The fountain before the door had been shattered, the water leaking across the pavement to the foot of the stairs. She took a step back, her wide eyes scanning the garden for the source of the destruction. Nothing.

She turned back to call for Ash, knowing they'd be safer together, when a cackle sounded behind her. She started, whirling around, bracing herself for a fight. Cynthia appeared, her arms crossed across her chest, her eyes burning with anger.

Only then did May realise that she'd never seen Cynthia use her powers. She had no idea what type she was. As Cynthia took a step forward, May braced herself, silently praying for Ash to hurry.

"It's quite cute that you think you're safe from us here," she drawled, picking at her nails. "Giovanni says you're strong." Cynthia finally looked up to May, some violet swirling in her eyes. May's heart stopped as she finally understood her type. "I'll show you how weak you really are."

Before she could move, May was tossed aside by a strong gust of purple wind and collapsed against the stairs. Cynthia stayed still by the doorway, her arms crossed tightly across her chest as though she'd done nothing at all, as May clawed desperately for her powers, for anything that would help her. Cynthia let out a cackle. She was toying with her.

"Aren't you going to fight back? Afraid to show me what I've heard so much about? Oh, don't hold back just for me."

May grunted as she tried to lift herself, her arm wobbling as she forced her weight up, wincing. Cynthia laughed again, but still didn't move, and May knew she was biding her time. Cynthia could kill her whenever she wanted.

Her arms unfolded, and she held her palm to her chest, concentrating as though she were building up some sort of energy within herself. May bolted up, almost making it up the first set of steps, when Cynthia thrust her powers out towards her, the dragon pulse burning through the air, so bright May could do nothing but throw her arms over her head and scream. She waited for death.

Instead, she was met by a crashing sound that overwhelmed her. She lifted an arm to glance up, only to see a torrent of water pushing back against the dragon pulse thrusting from Cynthia's palm. After a moment, the dragon pulse fell, along with the stream of water. Ash grunted behind her.

Cynthia blinked once. Twice. Then, erupted into laughter again, the sound raising the hairs on May's arm. Ash snarled.

"No, don't tell me!" Cynthia crossed her arms again, a smug look crossing her face, "You lost your powers."

May could say nothing, could think of nothing that she could say to help her situation. It was clear that May had lost her powers, regardless of what she said, and Cynthia was a dragon type- the strongest type of all. She would obliterate her friends and make her watch. May closed her eyes tight. She should have known- should have known that there was one more loose end that she'd left, one more problem she didn't solve. And now it would be the end of her.

Ash stepped in front of her, his body a shield to guard her from whatever Cynthia might throw their way. While May knew Ash couldn't love her in her current state, in that moment she loved him more than she ever had. Even the sound of Cynthia's devilish laughter couldn't tear her out of the moment.

"I suppose you'll do just fine."

Cynthia fired her dragon pulse again, but quicker this time. Ash threw up his torrent of water, moving slightly to cover the entirety of May's body with his. His hydro pump barely blocked her attack, and it came so close that May could feel the burning heat of Cynthia's power against her skin. She'd never felt so hopeless.

The battle between their elements carried on just a few seconds before Cynthia dropped the attack and rolled, dodging the exploding hydro pump from Ash. He collapsed a little as his power was released. May shuffled along the stair, peering around to find Cynthia again.

Cynthia held out her arms then, letting out a deafening cry that almost didn't sound human. May opened her mouth to cry to Ash, to warn him of the blow that was about to come, but her breath caught in her throat as a haze of dragon breath began to form in front of the woman. It writhed, as though living, twisting into some sort of shape. As Ash caught his breath and stood upright again, she realised what was forming. Cynthia had created a dragon from the haze, so big it almost loomed over them, its wings spreading across the room. Behind it, May saw Cynthia smirk.

As Ash began to back up towards her, May began clawing for her powers again, begging to herself for something, pulling at what was left of her inside her chest. She collapsed, her hands hitting the wooden floor as she strained herself, crying out, pulling at herself again and again to no avail. She didn't even realise she was crying until she felt the hot tears slipping down her cheeks and onto the back of her hands.

The dragon breath began to descend on them, and May closed her eyes tight.

Again, the blow never came. She opened her eyes to see Ash, his arms outstretched as a sweat broke out on his brow, his face contorted in concentration as he fought to maintain what he'd created.

Blocking Cynthia's dragon was a great blue phoenix, it's feathered wings smashing into the neck of the hazy dragon. May marvelled at the creature that he'd created, the intricacy of it, and her heart soared with renewed hope. Cynthia's creation deformed for a moment, but quickly rebuilt itself, though May could see her begin to struggle across the room. The dragon pushed forward, smashing into the phoenix, but Ash's creation held strong, pushing back against her own. The blow shook the room, knocking paintings from the walls and shelves onto the floor, scattering books and furniture across the hall. May cried out, throwing her hands over her head as Ash began to grunt, pushing further forward with his palms, trying to break Cynthia's dragon. It almost seemed as Ash was beginning to win.

Before May could get her hopes up, the wings of the dragon disappeared as the mist changed and Ash's phoenix stumbled forward at the unexpected change. Ash roared, rotating his hands to rebalance the phoenix, but Cynthia had changed her attacks, thrusting her palm forward, and the dragon claw struck the aqua phoenix's chest, breaking it apart. The water sprayed across the room, soaking May and all the surfaces around them.

When it cleared, the triumphant look on Cynthia's face became visible. May almost couldn't stand it. She tried to stand again, but merely stumbled as a pain seared through her left leg, rendering her useless. She cursed under her breath as the pair geared up to fight again.

It was Ash that struck first. A torrent of water formed where he aimed his palms- at the ceiling. The waterfall crashed down, striking Cynthia. She collided with the wall behind her with an ear-splitting crack and crumpled in a heap against it, but Ash was worn, his powers almost exhausted. May could only watch as Ash tried and failed to conjure up any power he could to finish her off. It was so close to the end, and yet Ash couldn't get close to her, in fear she would muster up enough strength to strike him down for good. She coughed from across the room, pushing herself up as she leaned against the wall. Ash braced himself for another attack coming his way, moving in front of May again, but Cynthia had other plans. She bolted for the door, almost slipping on the soaked ground. She disappeared as she swung through the open door. Cursing under his breath, Ash began to chase her.

He could hear May calling for him to stop from behind him, telling him that it was done, but he knew better. He knew she knew too, and only wanted to protect him, but he couldn't let her get away. He couldn't let her return once she regained her strength and strike them again. Not when she was such a great threat. He had to end her.

He followed her out of the door. Her shoes had become damp with the water he'd created and left a trail of footprints that led around the side of the building. He wasted no time, setting off to chase her, an orb of water permanently formed in his palms should she try to jump him. He rounded the corner and skidded to a halt. The footprints had stopped suddenly. They didn't fade away, as though the water on her shoes had dried, just disappeared, as though she'd floated away from the scene.

A slithering sound brought him back to his senses, and he backed up against the wall as immense Pokemon slid from behind the bushes.

Cynthia was like him. She'd chosen a Pokemon that didn't match her type. She'd climbed onto the back of her Milotic, which now began to slither slowly towards him.

"You should know better than to fall into a trap like that by now," Cynthia taunted him from atop the Pokemon. From her perspective, she'd won. He was backed against the wall with no cover to get behind, and his powers were exhausted. Here she was, with this powerful water type Pokemon, and Ash had nothing to use against it.

Except he did.

A smirk spread across his face as she moved closer, and she faltered for a moment at his smile, her Milotic stopping just ten feet from him. Moving away from the wall suddenly, Ash threw the Pokeball he'd made sure to grab just before he and May left the room. Pikachu landed on the concrete, its tail high in the air, sparks already radiating from its cheeks. Cynthia didn't even have time to scowl.

"Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" Ash commanded. The electric mouse jumped up high and erupted, the electricity shooting from it in exceptionally large bolts. Cynthia jumped from her Milotic, crashing against the hard pavement with a thud. The snake-like Pokemon slid away just as the bolts smashed into the pavement, cracking a slab in half. In response, Milotic fired an ice beam as Cynthia dragged herself up, blood trickling down the side of her face.

"Dodge Pikachu!"

Pikachu leapt into the air as the ice beam struck the floor. As it lingered in the air, Ash commanded another thunderbolt, and Pikachu fired another at Milotic.

"Mirror coat!" Cynthia shouted as she stood. Milotic cried, and a silver mirror formed before it. The thunderbolt smashed against it and bounced off, heading back towards where Pikachu began to fall.

"Dodge it!" Ash called, but Pikachu had no time to react before the thunderbolt struck it. Pikachu cried as she fell and landed roughly on the ground.

"Ice beam!"

"Iron tail!"

Ash knew the electric type move had little effect on the mouse Pokemon. His friend jumped to its feet and moved to meet the ice beam, its tail glowing as it hardened and prepared for the hit. The ice beam collided with its tail, but iron tail cracked through the ice beam and Pikachu kept moving, smashing its tail into Milotic's body. It cried out as Pikachu jumped back and prepared to strike again.

"Dragon pulse!" Cynthia called. Milotic began to gather the power in its jaws, though it winced as it did. Pikachu began to charge its own attack, prepared to fire a thunderbolt to counter the attack. Ash held his breath. Now they would see which of the Pokemon was truly stronger.

Milotic fired the dragon pulse with a cry just as Pikachu released its thunderbolt, and they met together with a burst of energy in the air. Ash stumbled back at the force. Both Pokemon pushed, straining against the strength of the other, but neither budged. The thunderbolt and dragon pulse continued to battle in the air, neither giving an inch.

"Come on, Pikachu!" Ash encouraged, watching as Pikachu began to wince. If he let go, the dragon pulse would hit him at full force, and the battle would be over. Pikachu needed this. It was the strongest thunderbolt Ash had ever seen Pikachu produce, and knew that Milotic would be knocked out the moment it hit. If Pikachu could just fight its way through this one last attack.

Cynthia shouted mirrored words of encouragement to Milotic, just as the thunderbolt gained on dragon pulse, knocking it back slightly as Milotic grunted under the pressure. Ash watched the Pokemon give one last push, but it was too late. Pikachu's thunderbolt broke through the dragon pulse, scattering the energy, and fired straight into Milotic. The resulting light was so bright Ash was forced to throw his hands over his eyes.

Then, silence fell. Ash opened his eyes, and Milotic was crumpled on the ground, defeated. Pikachu stood panting before Ash, a proud look on her face, but Ash turned to Cynthia first, who had fallen to her knees beside Milotic.

He felt himself crumple a little with relief as he formed his water orb again, threatening to strike her if she tried to move. Slowly, reluctantly, she raised her hands in surrender.

The effort it took to maintain the orb in his hands was almost too much as he took a reluctant step towards the woman. Her head dropped, as though trying to hide the shame on her face, though Ash could have sworn he saw her smirk as she did. Just as he began to question it, he was knocked out the way as a pair of guards stormed past to grab her arms.

He hadn't realised he was staring blankly at them beginning to drag her away until May lay her hand on his arm gently, coaxing him back to reality. She looked up at him in question, checking if he was hurt or not, but Ash couldn't tear his eyes from Cynthia, even as they reached the gates to take her away from the property. Something wasn't right.

"Come on, lets go get Dawn and the others." May spoke softly and tugged gently on his arm. So, she must have figured out that Ash had locked them in their rooms to protect them. He wondered for a moment if she would be mad, but the unease kept the thought away.

"Why doesn't she use her abilities?" He asked quietly, not really aimed at May at all, as he continued to watch the guards. May followed his gaze to her, her eyes narrowing.

"Because she's exhausted, Ash. Like you. Come on."

Ash shook his head, ignoring her pull. "She's not. I could see it in her eyes."

May sighed a little. "You're paranoid. It's done now."

Reluctantly, Ash surrendered, sagging a little and finally looking down at May. She let out a breath and tugged gently on his arm again, dragging him away from the mess the battle had created. He followed her, stepping over the cracks in the pavement, Pikachu hopping along behind them, waiting to be called back into her Pokeball. He could hear voices at the gate as the guards discussed how best to deal with Cynthia but blocked them out. What he needed now was rest.

They almost made it to the door before chaos broke out again. He whirled, just as the guards hit the wall at either side of the gate. Cynthia stood, brushing off her coat, her face frozen in a neutral expression. May's eyes widened in horror.

"So sweet, to think you could beat me that easily. Although, I congratulate you for winning the Pokemon battle. That was never part of the plan."

"Plan?" May asked quietly, suddenly gripping Ash's arm roughly, holding onto him for protection. He swore to himself that he wouldn't let Cynthia harm her, even if that meant he had to take the blow himself.

Cynthia took a few steps forward but didn't approach them, still picking debris from the sleeves of her coat nonchalantly. "Really, I've failed. It seems you don't even have any powers to show me." Cynthia sighed, tilting her head with an exaggerated frown. "That's too bad. I guess there's no point in keeping you around anymore."

"Run, May!" Ash called out, shoving her away from his arm and stepping in front of her again. Cynthia's dragon pulse was already half charged by the time she began running. She fired it, and Ash rolled out of the way, barely dodging the attack. May forced herself not to look back as she raced for the door, her heart hammering against her chest. Cynthia fired another dragon pulse at Ash, cackling at his feeble attempts to dodge, knowing he couldn't return her attacks. May closed her eyes tight for a moment. She was almost at the stairs.

She heard the third dragon pulse fire. It was as though everything fell silent and still as Ash cried out. She'd hit him. May skidded to a halt, screaming his name as she turned and watched him crash into the remains of the fountain. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Keep running, May! Get Dawn and the others out!" Ash called from the fountain, though his voice cracked from the effort of shouting. Even from the stairs, May could see the blood trickling down his temple and his arm. She couldn't move.

Cynthia began to walk quickly towards Ash, and May knew she meant to end him there and then. She wouldn't take him as prisoner or spare his life. She was going to kill him. It would only take her seconds to reach him as he lay helpless in the rubble.

May began to run. Perhaps if she sprinted, she could reach him in time. Perhaps she could shield him. She'd never ran so fast in her life, but Cynthia was closer- just a few steps away, and had raised her hand to charge a dragon pulse. May only had seconds. She couldn't make it. It was done. May's heart wrenched in her chest. Her chest was heavy, heavier than it had been in days, but everything passed so quickly all she felt was her heart breaking into a million pieces as she realised, but she had to do something. Beneath the sorrow, a burning anger took over.

As Cynthia reached Ash and stood over him, her face a cold mask as she raised her hand, May stopped still and closed her eyes, screaming out. A titanic pain ripped through her and she dropped to her knees, still screaming. Her heart ache was stronger now, and the pain deep within her chest reached its climax, as though someone were ripping out her soul. She reached for it, clawing at her chest as the pain became unbearable, her eyes tight shut to block out the light.

The pain released from her chest suddenly as if escaping from her body and she buckled at the sudden lightness within her, as though something that had been weighing her down was now gone, and she was free again. Gasping for air, she opened her eyes again.

Cynthia's dragon pulse had never fired, but the woman still stood over Ash, a sick smile spread across her face. May still gasped for air and her arms wobbled underneath her weight. The stones from the pavement had dug into her palms, cutting them open, so she forced herself to stand and prepared to rush for Ash again. She didn't have time to question what had just happened to her.

The distraction didn't work for long. Cynthia turned away from May again and raised both her hands into the air, gathering a purple haze above her. Once it descended, it would choke Ash before she could reach him. She had to think quick, but she could think of no way to stop her in time, and after just a second passed and Cynthia began to lower her arms, May could only watch.

Cynthia threw her arms down, and the haze lowered onto Ash.

"No!"

May took a step forward, throwing out her hand, and a fireball had gone with it.

She had no time to register what had happened before it smashed through the haze, scattering it to the wind, and she was thrown into the fight. Her mouth hung open, until she realised that Ash was alive, and she still had to fight to keep it that way.

Without thinking, she thrust her palms forward, sending a blaze towards the woman. Unprepared, Cynthia could only duck and narrowly avoided the flames. May's sorrow was wiped away now, replaced by an unrelenting anger that she released with every fireball she shot. She fired over and over as she took slow steps towards the woman that barely avoided each one, her eyes burning with rage. She would kill her for this.

She continued to fire, forcing Cynthia to back up, until she was pressed against the back wall, her arms raised in surrender again. May panted but didn't lower her hands, still burning with hatred.

"What plan were you talking about?" She demanded, pressing closer towards Cynthia. For a moment, the woman said nothing. Ash watched silently from behind.

"What plan?!" She screamed, pressing the fireball close to Cynthia's face. Contradicting the fear in her eyes, she smiled as though victorious.

"The plan that you've fallen for all along."

May's irritation grew. She didn't know how long her fire type would stick around for. Once it was gone, they'd be helpless again, and she would kill them both. "No cryptic answers. Tell me, or I'll kill you."

"We knew all along. About your rebellion plans."

May's breath caught in her throat.

"We knew you'd met Ash, but thought nothing of it, until you began to mention how unfair the system was. You seemed passionate. Passionate enough to start something. So, we waited."

It appeared as though the woman was done speaking, but May pressed the fireball closer again, knowing the heat would begin to burn her skin. Cynthia hissed.

"We'd been planning something for years. Planning to expand the company to other cities and regions. The one centre was big enough at the time, but the public was uneasy again, and there was tension between fire types and grass types. Some powerful people that were not deemed powerful enough to be placed in the arena had begun threatening one another in the streets. More people needed to be placed in the arena, but first we needed proof that it was worth the money."

May listened with bated breath. She knew what was coming but refused to believe it. She wouldn't believe it, after everything they'd done…

"So we let you plan your uprising. Did you think we wouldn't notice you practicing your abilities in common rooms; that there wouldn't be cameras in there?" She laughed a little. "We let you. We wanted to have proof of the extremes your powers could go to. It was never meant to get this far."

"We won." May insisted, the fireball in her palm flaring at her burst of anger. "You may have known, but we still won."

The woman laughed louder then. "I don't think you did."

Even as the fireball faltered, and her jaw trembled, May kept herself standing tall before Cynthia. Even as the woman ruined her dreams.

"You've given us all the proof we need. The government agreed to stay silent but now they will back our plan. We'll be able to build new arenas- at least six. Oh, and we'll be sure to separate you and your friends."

"The people from the arena…" May forced out, her hands shaking before her. "They escaped. You'll never be able to gather them back up. You'll never catch everyone."

Cynthia shook her head, crushing May again before she even spoke. "They were transferred directly to a holding station just outside of Petalburg. We let you escape because we knew you had more to offer. Especially him." She nodded towards Ash, but May couldn't bring herself to look back at him for even a moment. "And we were right."

It took every ounce of her strength to stop herself from collapsing to her knees. She'd been foolish to think she had won. Foolish to think they had a chance at freedom, that she would one day be with Ash and be free to travel with him on their own journey…

"Part of me does feel bad for this." Cynthia shrugged. "But it is necessary to prevent another war. It is not safe to have such powerful people roaming the streets. It's better for them to live their lives in a controlled space with one another. Then the rest of society can go on without any worries."

May was too exhausted- too angry- to argue. Instead, she pushed the remains of her weak powers back into the fireball for one last chance.

"If I kill you now, we can escape. Did you think of that? Do you really think you'll be able to find us?"

Cynthia smirked then- an evil smirk that spread right across her face. "I don't think you'll get that chance."

May followed the woman's eyes to the gate beside them. Giovanni stepped through.


	19. The Dark and the Light

**Hi,**

 **this chapter is a little different, in the sense that it's not written from May's POV, like the others are. I hope this isn't confusing, I just thought it was time someone else got some lovin'.**

* * *

In the groups final moments together, when the guards stormed the house and dragged them from Dawn's room, she'd clung to Paul. She'd been too distraught to wonder if he minded the physical contact and had cried as he clutched her to his chest. Even as the guards began to peel him from her, he'd held onto her. Even now, hours later, it was still being away from Paul that was the worst part. Dawn began to wonder when exactly she'd fallen in love with her polar opposite.

She knew that was what it was. She'd known she had feelings for him for a while, but as they tugged her away from him, and as she realised she was so scared because he would no longer be beside her like he'd always been, it was as though it clicked into place. Suddenly, she understood everything she felt, right as it was all torn away from her.

She peeled open her eyes, which were puffy and stung from crying. She could feel cold concrete beneath her, and once her eyes adjusted she noticed the thick, impenetrable metal bars sealing her from the outside world. These weren't the cells underground at the old arena, or she would have recognised them. She pushed herself up with her arms to look around.

There was nothing in her cell but herself. She at least thought they'd give her a bed. After all, she could be here for a long time. They'd be building new arenas, since the old one was trashed, and that would take time despite the extensive number of people involved in the project. When Dawn could hear over her own sobbing, she'd taken in every bit of Cynthia's conversation with Giovanni that she could. They were to be kept here, in these holding cells, until new arenas were ready. There would be one in every region, and all of her friends would be sent to a different one. She'd never see him again.

The worst she could do was shock the person being held on the other side of the corridor that she couldn't see. The guards travelled in groups, and rifles at hand too. The steel bars of the cage were too sturdy to break with abilities. At first, she'd hoped May would be able to find a way out and would save her, or Ash. Guns wouldn't stop them. She hated depending on them, but right now she would take any way out.

"Hey!" She called, pushing herself up. She wobbled and clutched the cold bars. It was freezing wherever they were, and her dress was less than appropriate. "Hey!"

The person on the other side didn't move. She could only see a slight outline of them in the dark cell. She didn't want to have to shout any louder, or she'd attract the attention of someone. Grunting from the effort, she held a hand out of the bars and forced a slight current from her hand. The spark flew through the air, shocking him. Even from the grunt, she recognised him.

It was almost cruel, giving her these last few days with him when they knew they'd be their last together. Perhaps it would have been better if she didn't get to see him now. As he stood, she knew she had to tell him how she felt. It would be her last chance, and it would haunt her forever if she didn't. There was no way Paul was the type of guy to get feelings for someone, especially someone as bubbly as her, but she didn't care if he reciprocated them. She just had to let him know.

"Dawn?" He rubbed his head groggily. Dawn watched the realisation cross his face. It was painful to watch. "Oh shit. Oh shit."

"Paul, there's something I have to tell you."

She waited for his response, but he'd backed up a little, his hands on his head suddenly. Dawn had never seen Paul stress this way before. He'd always been calm and collected in every situation they'd ever found themselves in. She debated saying it anyway, but the expression on his face stopped her. He was panicking.

"Paul?"

He came to the bars suddenly and grabbed them, a fierceness in his eyes that she'd never seen before. She'd seen him try hard at things, like battling, but she'd never really seen passion. His eyes burned with it now. "There's no way I'm letting them take you back there."

A warmth filled her heart at his words, but she pushed it away. "There's no way out, Paul. Our only hope is May or Ash, and they've probably got them in a high security unit or something."

Paul was shaking his head, his temper obviously flaring. "How much of their conversation did you hear? Do you know what's going to happen to us?"

He was angry, and it was understandable. It almost frightened Dawn. She knew she couldn't lie, but her next words might break him. His eyes bore into her, never leaving her face. She turned away. "They're placing us all in different arenas."

There was only a second of silence until Paul roared. She turned to calm him down in any way she could, but a strange feeling consumed her, and she barely had time to feel it before she collapsed on the floor.

* * *

She woke again to a pounding in her head. When she opened her eyes, she saw she'd fallen against the wall when she collapsed. Still, it wasn't too bad, she could still stand. Her first thought was to make sure Paul was okay, though her memory was a little fuzzy. At the sound of her moving, Paul jumped up to the bars.

"I'm so sorry, Dawn, I didn't mean to do that." He rambled. She'd never heard him apologise before. Dawn blinked hard, trying to clear her headache.

"What?"

Paul was looking at his own hands. "That was me," he said quietly. "I sent you to sleep."

Dawn's eyes widened. Paul had been the one struggling to use his powers, but perhaps he was exactly the same as May. He'd needed an intense emotion to draw it out. Dawn knew Paul wasn't really an emotional person, so what was it that had dragged it out of him now? Then, a thought clicked into her head, and she grabbed the bars suddenly, pressing her face to them.

"Paul, how confident are you that you could do that again?"

"It's weird. I can feel it inside me now, so I'm pretty sure I could use it again. I don't know." He gave her a sceptical look. "Why?"

"I have a plan, but you have to listen to me really carefully." He nodded. He'd never taken her this seriously before. "And you have to know that this is our only chance, but if this goes wrong, we could die."

* * *

Dawn was pressed against the back of her cell. Anyone from outside wouldn't be able to see her watching from the corner, but she could see Paul and the dimly lit corridor. He approached the bars and held them.

"Hey!" He called out for a guard. "Hey!"

A group of four guards came moments later, clearly irritated that Paul had bothered them. They had their rifles in their hands ready. Paul would have to be quick- so quick they didn't have time to react. Dawn could hear the blood rushing in her ears as she tried to stay calm. The guards were still too far away from his cell bars.

"I think I have a wound on my shoulder, I'm just worried it'll get infected in here."

One guard sighed and stepped closer, motioning for Paul to step forward too. The rest of the guards seemed more alert with the other being closer to Paul. Now that Paul could easily reach out and grab the guard if he wanted, it was the perfect time. Dawn's heart hammered against her chest as she prepared to move.

Paul took his step forward, and the resulting wave of energy rippled around her. As they'd expected, the wave didn't travel far enough to send her to sleep at the back of her cell. As they fell, one of the guards reached for his gun, but his hand flopped before he reached it. They collapsed in a pile on the floor. Dawn ran to the bars, hands trembling as she watched Paul reach out and grab the guard's keys. He unlocked his cell, simultaneously telling the others in our corridor to keep it down to avoid detection.

Dawn could have cried as he swung open the door of her cell. Without even thinking, she threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his neck. To her surprise, he rested his hands on her back. It was more than she'd expected from him, and she loved it, but they had to move. They couldn't risk releasing everyone in the corridor- that'd attract too much attention. Instead they ran down, looking out for anyone they recognised and promising everyone they'd come back for them. Most people recognised them from their attack on the arena and trusted their word.

Once they reached a corner, they paused. Paul held his arm out to keep Dawn back and peered around. After a nod to her, he turned and sent out another dark void in their direction. Another group of guards sprinted around the corner. It was too soon for Paul to use the same ability again. Dawn charged herself up and braced herself for the gunfire, but the guards had stopped. One by one they dropped their guns and turned to run. Gathering herself, Dawn sent a bolt of electricity to them, engulfing them all. They all fell.

"What was that?" Dawn turned to Paul, eyes wide. Paul's own eyes were wide.

"I think I sent the thought of your shockwave striking them into their mind."

Dawn faltered. All this time, Paul had believed he was the weak one. He'd never managed to conjure any abilities up. Now they knew it was because his abilities lay elsewhere. He was able to manipulate people's minds. He grabbed her hand and dragged her onwards. Even when she started moving, he didn't let go.

The end of the corridor branched off. Paul turned right, as if he knew where he was going, and they repeated their attack on the group of guards watching the area. Paul was the dark, and Dawn was the light. They were polar opposites, yet they worked so well together. Even amongst the commotion, Dawn's heart swelled with love for him and his wanting to protect her.

"Dawn! Is that you?" someone called from the furthest end of the corridor. Serena.

They ran to her cell. Paul's hands shook a little as they unlocked it. Dawn threw her arms around her friend. Serena began to cry.

"Come on, we have to go find the others," Dawn spoke quietly to calm her. Serena nodded but kept crying nonetheless. She raised a shaking hand and pointed to the way they'd just came.

"I-I saw them drag Drew down there when they'd put me in here."

Dawn looked to Paul, who had already started moving towards Drew's cell. The rest of the guards would be alerted soon, and they'd need May and Ash for that. There was only so much Dawn could handle on her own. Ahead of her, Paul found Drew, and was speaking to him through the cell bars while he unlocked the door. Dawn ran to catch up, holding Serena's hand tight. The girl's hand was clammy, and Dawn could feel she was shaking.

"We need to find May," Dawn panted as she caught up. The group paused. "Drew, do you remember seeing anything? Anything at all?"

Drew rubbed the back of his head. "They took them further down this corridor, but I have no idea where after that."

It was enough to get them moving again. Paul led the group, ready to fire a dark void if another group of guards appeared. At any moment, a group too large could find them and end all hopes they had of escape. They only had hope because of Paul. Of course, they wouldn't think of considering Paul's abilities. He'd never shown them any.

They turned another corner, but the next corridor contained no cells. It was shorter, with closed doors to other rooms replacing the cells. At the end, one door stood out in particular. It was a little bigger than the others, and a key card scanner was the only way to unlock it. Paul rushed down, even as Dawn paused for a moment. The doors made her nervous.

"Can you unlock this, Dawn?" He asked, pointing at the scanner. She shook her head, forcing herself to move despite her shaking legs. She'd let go of Serena, and the girl took Drew's hand instead. He didn't seem to mind. They all watched as the focused on the key card scanner. She lay her palm flat on it, then pulled away. It glowed red.

"Shit." Paul turned away, looking as though he might punch the wall. "Shit."

Dawn blinked at the scanner. Was she unable to control security measures? She'd disabled the electric fence for Ash to climb, so why couldn't she do this? She couldn't give up. They'd come this far and if they didn't move forward they'd die. It was a miracle they'd even been allowed to live for this long. She sucked in a breath and placed her hand against it again, pushing her energy out towards it this time. She felt a small zap in her hand and pulled it away. The scanner glowed green, but her joy was short-lived. Now they had to open the door before it locked again. They hadn't thought this far ahead.

Before she could stop herself, Dawn grabbed the handle and forced the door open. It swung open and she prepared to drop to the ground. Behind her, Paul had begun to push forward to protect her, but there were no guards. Instead, in the centre of the room was a giant concrete structure. This room was taller than the rest had been- almost as tall as the arena itself had been, and the concrete room in the centre of it was almost intimidating. Dawn had never seen anything like it.

"She's in there!" Drew pointed.

Dawn relaxed as the door closed behind her. If anyone was coming, they'd have warning. As they began to approach the room, she turned to Paul who'd fallen into step beside her. She was still so afraid they wouldn't make it out. "What do we do once we get May out?"

Paul's eyes met hers, and she turned away to hide her heated cheeks. "I don't know," he admitted. "But we'll find a way out. May will know what to do." Dawn believed him. May always seemed to know what to do, but Dawn's heart missed a beat as she remembered her friend was missing her powers.

"She's still a water type." Paul paused at her words. He must have forgotten too. He ran a hand through his hair. "If anything, at least we tried," she kept speaking to prevent him from panicking again. They'd stopped, and Serena and Drew had almost reached the room ahead of them.

"We can't find the door!" Drew shouted. The concrete room was big- as big as two of any of the rooms in May's home. It would take a few minutes to look, even with all of them. Dawn had just turned to join them when she heard the shouting from outside. They were coming.

"The lock, Dawn!" Paul called from beside her, bringing her back to reality. Her arm shot up without thought and she focused on the lock. The scanner glowed red as she focused on it. She could keep it locked, but for how long? And once they got May out, what then? Would she even be able to fight with them?

"Keep looking!" Paul called to Serena and Drew, who disappeared around the side of the room. Dawn felt the sweat gathering on her brow, and her arm began to ache. Still, the lock glowed red. Paul moved to face her, checking she was okay.

"We're going to make it out of here, right?" She asked, her voice strained. He seemed surprised she'd even asked. His face had never looked so soft. It was a side of him he kept hidden, but she found herself liking it, even if she liked his hard side too. She wondered if he'd always been this way, and why he'd chosen to show her his true colours now.

"Of course we are."

He was as calm and collected as ever, and it made Dawn want to cry. He'd always been her rock, and it mattered now more than ever. Without him, she'd never have made it this far. If she hadn't already loved him, she would have fallen in that moment. Her face crumpled as she fought her tears. Her arm wobbled as a lone tear slipped down her cheek. She closed her eyes, focusing entirely on keeping the door locked, until she felt a warmth on her cheek. Paul had reached down to rub the tear from her cheek with his thumb, his palm cupping her cheek gently. That wasn't Paul. Paul didn't do things like that. Yet, here he was. For a moment, she stood in shock, her eyes opening wide. Without thinking, she reached up with her free hand and pulled his face towards hers. Even she didn't realise they were kissing until his mouth parted slightly to meet hers. The world around her seemed to melt- or perhaps she was melting into him. For a moment, nothing else mattered. Remembering she needed to tell him, she pulled away suddenly.

"I hope we are, because I love you."

She didn't expect him to say it back. The fact that he kissed her back was enough for her. She knew he was reserved and would make his mind up in his own time, if he even had any feelings for her at all.

"I love you too, Dawn."

The words struck her like her own lightning. She wasn't sure she'd heard right, or that she was even still breathing. Surely she hadn't heard him right.

She didn't have time to process his words before she heard running behind her, and Serena appeared before them. "We have a problem. You have to come."

Paul placed his hands on her shoulders, and she found that she was nervous after the kiss. "Can you break the lock?"

She hadn't even considered that in all the chaos. Perhaps if she poured the last of her power into it, she could destroy the lock. Of course, they'd then have to find another way out, and they'd still only have a matter of time until the guards found a way in. Still, it was their only option now. She took a few steps towards the lock and held up her other arm, throwing all of her power towards it. She grunted as she felt its own electricity fight back, but she pushed. The lock smashed from the wall, skidding across the floor and smoking her. She coughed and fell back, but Paul caught her. He lifted her up into his arms and sprinted to follow Serena. Dawn wanted to curl up against him and never move.

The door to the room was around the back. When they'd opened it, the light had filtered in to reveal the inside. It was completely bare, just like their cells, aside from May at the back. She was shackled to the wall, and suddenly the size made sense. They wanted to be able to check on her but be as far from her as possible. If Dawn hadn't been so exhausted, she would have run to her friend. Instead, Paul ran for her.

He set her down and began trying all of the keys on the chain he'd stolen.

"How?" May asked, tears welling up in her eyes. Dawn leaned beside her and took her hands in her own.

"Paul sent the guards to sleep and stole their keys." She smiled up at Paul and wondered for a moment what they were now. "Turns out he's really strong after all."

"Ash," May choked out, tears falling freely now. "He was in here just before."

Paul turned to face her. They both looked as clueless as one another. "In here? Do you know where they took him?"

"No." She sniffed. She'd always been strong. It was her turn to lean on Dawn. "He was knocked out and didn't wake up until they came for him. I kept shouting at him, but he didn't respond. I was so afraid…" She took a shaky breath. "I think they're questioning him."

Paul finally found the key they were looking for, and May's hands fell to her lap. She stretched them. "May," Dawn spoke. "They're here. The guards. They're trying to get in right now, but I broke the lock. It's only a matter of time before they break it down. We'll all fight for as long as we can. Can you do anything with your water power? Anything at all?"

Dawn was taken aback as May smirked, even through the tears. She held up her hand, and, in the darkness of the room, her flame seemed brighter than ever. Dawn smiled back. May would unleash hell upon them if it meant she could have Ash back, and Dawn would be right there beside her.

* * *

 **I hope the chapter with Dawn rather than May was alright and not a disappointment. Also, sorry about the shortness. I felt like I wrote everything I needed to write here.**

 **If you liked the other POV and think I should do another, leave a review or PM. I'm considering writing one for Drew but I'm not sure. Thanks!**


	20. Finale

**Hi guys,**

 **this might seem a little abrupt, but this is going to be the final chapter of Uprising.**

 **I was thinking about writing a chapter on Drew, but after this chapter I didn't feel he really needed it. In the future I might write a sequel for this, if anyone is interested.**

 **Anyway, thanks to anyone who gave this a read! Onto the next story!**

* * *

She wasn't sure she'd be enough to stop them all. She'd acted confident for Dawn and the others, but her chances were slim. There had to be over a hundred guards waiting for them on the other side of the door, all with guns. Paul would do his best to wipe out as many as he could, and send the others running, but his powers were new and untrained. There was even a chance he might knock out one of their own, and everyone was valuable. She wished she had Ash.

"Are you ready?" It was Drew, who had positioned himself by the door. Paul would take the front, to wipe out as many he could to stop their guns firing before May struck. Drew and Serena flanked the door, ready to stop anyone that got past. May hoped that eventually they would surrender. If this worked. The silence that followed was tense as everyone put on a brave face for one another. Little did they know that if they let down their masks, they'd all fall apart. She sucked in a breath. She wasn't ready, but she had to be.

"I guess so." She smiled weakly at Drew, who didn't bother trying to return it. Instead, he stepped further back, and May began to gather her powers. She felt freer than she ever had with her powers back. Although it hadn't been that long, she felt as though she had been beginning to forget how it felt. It was like a piece of her had fallen out, and it had just been put back into place.

Her chest didn't hurt this time when she pulled her fire power forward. But, like a slight spark underneath, she felt something else too. She hoped her face wouldn't give it away. She smiled and tucked the little secret into the back of her mind and pushed.

The fireball easily blew the door away. Everything turned into a blur of smoke and colour as Paul roared and threw his power out blindly ahead of him. Some guards had collapsed in a heap and others had begun to flee, but his powers weren't strong enough to reach the back wave in the long corridor. Some began to flee in panic when the manipulated guards ran past them, but May barely knocked Paul to the side before the gunshots began. They landed heavily on the ground, but she had no time to check if he was okay.

"May!" Drew called, firing out all the razor leaves he could. His powers had never properly matured, and while Serena was strong, they couldn't do much without her. So, she stood. Her powers were bubbling close to the surface; she could feel the fire at her core. It only took a second to power up the flamethrower. With a push of her hands, she sent it down the corridor, taking at least a dozen guards with it. The panic and smoke temporarily halted the gunfire. She seized her opportunity, launching herself further forward and firing smaller, more precise fireballs and any movement she could see. Over the shouting of her guards, she couldn't hear if her friends were behind her. As she pressed into the corridor, her mind almost shut off, and she no longer feared the guns in the hands of the remaining guards. Many of them had started running.

She realised her friends had stopped attacking because they were afraid they'd hit her. Only Dawn would likely be precise enough, but May was willing to bet that she considered her too valuable to even try. May was alone. Her friends would follow up behind her, but in the commotion a few seconds felt like a lifetime. She wasted no time, quickly firing up another flamethrower. She began to throw it forward.

A sharp pain shot through her arm. She pulled it back quickly, sending the flamethrower jutting to the side, causing a chorus of screams. The pain was so blinding her stomach turned, sending her to her knees. Dawn rushed up behind her as Serena continued firing moonbeams ahead of them, sending the remaining guards scattering. May fought to keep her hand steady, but the pain had caused her breathing to falter and her mind was fogged. Dawn said something beside her, and when she pulled her hand away, it was slick with blood. The sight almost made her retch.

"Shit!" Paul cursed, catching up. May barely noticed how his hand rested on her shoulder, the touch new and foreign. She couldn't move. She could hardly breathe.

"Don't panic, May." Drew. "It's not that bad, it just skimmed your arm so there's no bullet lodged in there." He feebly tried to make her feel better. Bullet or no bullet, her arm was bleeding profusely, making her head spin. He began ripping the bottom of his shirt and tied it around her arm. The contact made her wince, but it was undoubtedly better.

"We need to get you out of here." Dawn stood. "The entrance is on the other side of the building where my cell was. It's only a five-minute walk, do you think you can make it?"

It took May a moment to realise Dawn was speaking to her. She blinked, shaking her head. "No. I'm not leaving without Ash."

"We'll find him and get him out, we promise," Drew argued gently. May took a deep breath, calming herself and fighting the pain in her arm.

"No." She began to stand and failed to hide the wobble in her legs. "He might need me. I have to be here. I have to know he's safe."

They looked amongst themselves, silently debating whether they'd let her stay. As if they had a choice. Eventually, Dawn sighed in defeat. "Okay. We'll have to hurry."

May nodded and clutched the wound on her arm as they began to throw open the doors, or force open the locked ones. Drew's green shirt had turned crimson with her blood, but she wouldn't leave until she found him. She'd silently promised him that.

It didn't take them long to locate him. There were only a few interrogation rooms littered along the corridor, and he was in one of the first ones. The guards had cuffed him to the table, and the guard that was interrogating him had clearly ran off with the others when the alarm was sounded. May's knees wobbled at the sight of him, his face bloodied and bruised slightly and his limp stature. She didn't care if it hurt when she threw her arms around her neck and cried silently onto his neck. He reached up with the hand that wasn't cuffed and placed it on the back of her neck, kissing the top of her head gently.

"How?" Was all he said.

Dawn pointed to Paul. "I think he deserves most of the credit. And May."

The rest of the group gave May a moment to cry on Ash's shoulder before Paul stepped forward to look for the key that would set him free. He gently eased May up. She was always the strong one, but when it came to Ash she really was weak. She didn't care who saw anymore. She felt, for the first time since she'd changed her type, connected to him again. The way she'd felt before it all went wrong. She wondered if he felt the same.

When he stood, he took her face in his hands, wiping her tears away. She recognised the look in his eyes. It was the way he'd looked at her every time they'd snuck into each other's rooms, every time they'd snuck around a corner to sneak a kiss. He looked at her for a long moment as though he would kiss her, but then remembered who was watching. Only Dawn knew they'd been seeing each other before all of this. While the others knew why'd she'd changed her type, they didn't know how intimate they'd been. She would have to explain later.

It suddenly occurred to her that she'd never had the chance to tell Ash she loved him too, even when he'd told her. She added that to her list of things to do once they escaped.

Paul explained quietly to Ash while they headed back towards the entrance. May followed behind, wishing he would hold her hand to help distract her from the pain. They faced a new problem now- once they got outside they'd have no idea where they were. They could be in any part of Hoenn, or perhaps another region entirely.

Luckily, Dawn remembered every turn she and Paul had taken on the way to her. At the main entrance, the doors were locked, but the key was easily distinguishable amongst the many Paul stole from the guards. Desperate to leave, May bounced on her heels as he unlocked the door, but once he and Dawn pushed it open May lifted a hand to cover her eyes. It was the middle of the day, and the sun was almost unbearable, even if she had only been locked in the dark box for a short time. There were long concrete steps leading up from the bunker they'd been staying in, but it was hard to tell what was above that.

Dawn and Paul raced ahead, gripping one another's hands for comfort. It was all happening too fast for any of them to say a word but May reached for his hand still. The moment they brushed together, Ash took hold of it, lacing his fingers between hers. Though she couldn't hold her injured arm, she felt as though the pain was slightly alleviated, just from his touch.

The stairs led to a field that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. The only noticeable features were the bunker and the small, temporary building that had been set up beside it. In the distance, May spotted a single Miltank farm.

She'd barely been looking around for a minute when she felt Ash's hand rip away from hers. She turned and reached for where he'd been, but Dawn was crying out, and Paul was reaching for Ash, in the grip of Milotic.

Milotic had wrapped its tail roughly around Ash. He was weak and limp in its grip as it towered over him. May immediately drew her power together, flames gathering in her palms. Despite his situation, she saw Ash's eyes light up like he finally understood. She was herself again.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Cynthia strode over from the temporary building as though she were walking into a group of friends. She gestured to Milotic, who had built up a Dragon Pulse in its mouth and was directing it towards Ash. At any moment it could fire, and May knew the direct impact would kill him. She heard Giovanni cackle from beside Cynthia and bristled.

"You are one tough puzzle, May." Giovanni addressed her, but she kept her eyes on Ash. She hardly dared to blink. If that Dragon Pulse fired, she had to try anything. Perhaps if her reaction was fast enough…

"But, you had to have a weakness, like everyone else," Giovanni still spoke to her, and seemed to get closer. May barely heard him; her mind was racing. She had to think of a way to get Ash out of his situation. "If any of you move, Milotic will destroy him."

An idea came to her mind. It was risky, and could end with Ash being struck with the Dragon Pulse, but what other choice did she have? She'd have to act instantly and be confident in her powers. She'd have to act quicker than Cynthia and Giovanni. She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes, calming her racing heart.

She turned to face Giovanni, memorising his position exactly, her eyes flicking over him. He gave her a sickly grin, and she swallowed hard, closing her eyes. Before they could react, she raised her hands up quickly, commanding a wall of fire to circle Giovanni. Milotic flinched, but Cynthia cried out for it to wait. May was completely banking on the fact that Cynthia must care for Giovanni somewhat. The ring of fire gave him enough space to move his arms, but the heat would be unbearable.

"Let him go," May hissed at Cynthia. They could barely hear Giovanni shouting over the crackling of her flames. Cynthia grimaced at her, then at the circle of fire. Snarling, May moved her hands slightly, pushing the fire closer to Giovanni. From the other side, he started begging.

Reluctantly, Cynthia flicked her hand at Milotic. The Pokemon dropped Ash, who fell limp to the ground, trying to rise on his knees. May kept holding the wall of fire in place. Briefly, she glanced at Drew, who stood closest to Cynthia. She'd almost forgotten the pain in her arm, but it still throbbed.

"Remove that now," Cynthia demanded, pointing at Giovanni's cage.

"Go!" May shouted suddenly, flinging herself towards Drew. He threw himself at Cynthia, knocking her to the ground and holding her down. Her bag fell open, the Pokeballs inside scattering out onto the grass. May reached for the one she knew was hers, but as she grabbed for it, it flew from her. She looked up. Giovanni scattered the balls, his eyes glowing a hue of pink.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Serena jump up and catch one. Before Giovanni could react, she threw it, releasing a Rapidash that must have belonged to someone inside. It reared up. Cynthia was crawling up, but Dawn had charged a thunderbolt and positioned it at her. She froze on the spot.

"Take him!" May called to Serena, gesturing to Ash and the Rapidash. Serena nodded, reaching for Ash as May turned away. Giovanni pressed something on his watch and grinned. May turned to call to Dawn, but she was too late. Giovanni threw up his arms, producing his own wave of fire that swirled towards her. Dawn turned too late, dropping the thunderbolt, and May fell to her knees, crying out.

Paul was roaring, walking quickly towards Giovanni, throwing out dark pulses quicker and quicker as Giovanni struggled to dodge them, too pverwhelmed to fight back. One hit the mark, sending him crashing to the floor, but Paul didn't stop. He raised a hand, cursing as he fired up a larger dark pulse than she'd ever seen any Pokemon use, and brought it down upon him. May closed her eyes before the impact, tears streaming freely down her cheeks.

When she opened her eyes again, Paul was kneeling over Dawn, blocking her from May's view. Ash was pushing away Serena, who hadn't managed to force him to ride Rapidash. May doubled over on the grass, almost throwing up. Serena was racing towards Dawn, screaming her name, but Dawn didn't respond. May struggled to stand, forcing herself forward, but stars were floating in her vision, and black was gathering around the corners.

Dawn was lifeless on the grass. When May threw herself down on her knees beside her friend, she grabbed her wrist, feeling for a pulse, but felt nothing. Her stomach sank completely. She wasn't even sure if she was still breathing. This couldn't be real. Forgetting about Cynthia, May began to wail, shaking Dawn's arm frantically.

"Dawn! Wake up!"

Nothing. The sobs were racking her body. She felt a pair of strong arms lift her and she gave in, sobbing into Ash's chest and he pulled her too him and away from Dawn. He placed his hand on the back of her head, stroking her hair.

"Get away!" Paul was shouting angrily, swatting away Drew, who hadn't said a word yet.

Drew snarled at Paul aggressively. "Get out of the way, let me try something."

At the assertion in his voice, Paul backed off a little. Drew leaned beside Dawn gently, then placed his hands on her stomach. Paul opened his mouth to shout again, but Drew's hands began to emit an emerald glow that spread throughout Dawn. May peeled away from Ash, taking a step towards them. The energy continued to flow through Dawn, reaching every point in her body. He continued with his eyes closed for a few seconds that seemed to last a lifetime. May held her breath as he pulled his hands away gently and waited.

Dawn coughed suddenly.

May sobbed again with relief. Before Dawn's eyes had fully fluttered open, Paul had knelt, pulling her limp body into his chest tightly. That was it. That was Drew's powers. He looked as shocked at himself as everyone else. May threw her arms around his neck.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said onto him. She heard him chuckle sheepishly as he gently rubbed her back. When she pulled away, Paul had released Dawn, who rubbed her eyes.

"What happened?"

"Well," Drew rubbed the back of his head. "I think Giovanni killed you."

Dawn blinked quickly. "What?"

Serena pointed to Drew. "Drew healed you."

Dawn looked to Drew. He nodded. She rose to her feet slowly, holding onto Paul. "Thank you so much, Drew. I owe you my life."

Although Drew's powers may not have proved helpful in the fighting, May was proud of her best friend. She'd known his powers must be different somehow when the training hadn't worked, but she never expected this. She couldn't have been more thankful. Dawn was alive. The heartbreak she'd felt when she'd felt for her pulse was all-consuming, and May knew she would never fully recover.

May glanced around suddenly. Cynthia was gone, but Giovanni's lifeless body was still where Paul had left it. "I guess we need to sort out this mess."

* * *

It had taken them over an hour to release everybody. Luckily, one girl recognised where they were, and left to find help. Another hour later, police started to arrive in too many cars for May to count. She'd spent the whole time comforting people or helping people and hadn't spent a single second with Ash since Drew had healed Dawn.

Her friends were escorted back to May's home, which was ruined slightly from the battles. Once they arrived and May's arm had been properly bandaged by a guard, her mother rushed to her, holding her tight and asking so many questions that May's head began to spin. May only had one.

"Is it over now?" She asked, pulling away from her mom. Her mom nodded, wiping away her tears. May found herself crying too. She'd been waiting her whole life for this. Once everything was rebuilt, everything would be perfect. Well, besides one thing.

"Mom."

"Yes, May?" Her mom still held her shoulders. May swallowed hard.

"I don't want to marry Gary. I don't want to be stuck here from the moment I turn eighteen. I want the chance to find someone for myself. I want to be able to travel like everyone else. It's the only thing I want."

Her mom sighed. May stole a glance at Ash and her friends, who were laughing for the first time in days. "Alright."

May's heart soared as she looked back at her mom. "Really?"

"Of course. It'll take some time to convince your father, but you can go. It should be safe for you now, and you've proved you can look after yourself. I trust you to make good decisions."

May was crying again. She looked to Ash. "I will."

Her mom left her with her friends in the courtyard, but as soon as she approached, her friends backed off, saying they would catch her and Ash inside. She smiled sheepishly at him, and he gestured for her to sit on the wall. Despite the fighting, all the rosebushes remained intact and bloomed around them. For once, May felt at peace. She threw her head back and loosed a breath.

"Honestly, after everything, I don't even know where to start. I don't know what to say," May sighed. Ash reached out for her face and held it in his hands, sending her heart into a pounding mess.

"Then don't say anything," he muttered, pulling her towards him. His kiss was soft but desperate. She melted into him, running one hand up the back of his messy hair. She never wanted him to let go, but had something to say, so she pulled away.

"Ash, I love you." She smiled up at him. "I never got the chance to say that to you."

"I love you, May." He smiled back, and she kissed him again, savouring every moment. She felt her life click into place. "Be my girlfriend. Travel with me." He held both her hands and squeezed them.

She nodded, unable to contain her grin. He grinned a goofy grin too, and she pulled him into a tight hug. "We'll start with Kanto."

Ash nodded. "And travel the whole world together eventually."

May cried silently and happily onto his shoulder.

* * *

"You better call me as soon as you get there."

Dawn was clutching a sun hat to her head and holding a suitcase in the other. May had let her keep the clothes she liked best, and Dawn had packed them for her journey. She'd decided to travel home to see her mom, and Paul would go with her. Paul had his arm draped lazily around her shoulder, and even grinned at May.

They'd already hugged a million times since this morning, but Dawn hugged her again, letting her case drop and trusting Paul to catch it. May held onto her friend for as long as she could.

"Me too." Drew grinned, his hands stuck in his pockets. Drew was going home too, then planned to travel Hoenn and hopefully find a travelling partner. May gave him a wink.

"Don't worry, I won't let you forget about me."

Serena jumped into her arms without giving her any warning. She looked so beautiful in the pink dress she'd picked out, May was almost jealous. She'd fit right in in fashionable Kalos, where she was planning on meeting with an old friend from the arena that she knew would be there too. She'd told May that she knew Clemont would be there and would find him somewhere. May prayed that she did.

Once Serena pulled away, rubbing her eyes to hide the tears, her friends began to depart. May waved them away, feeling part of her heart break off and go with each of them. It would be the first time she was ever without them. She reached out her hand and took Ash's. He gave her a reassuring squeeze. As long as he was there, she knew she'd be just fine.

* * *

As soon as she stepped one foot off the ferry, she knew she'd made the right decision- even if the blinding sun made the heat almost unbearable. All around, people were hurrying about. Some were saying farewell to friends that were catching ferries, but others were performing, singing and dancing about the street. A number of food stalls and market stalls lined the street which was flooding with incredible smells. May sucked in a deep breath as Ash appeared beside her.

"Ready?"

"Are you kidding?" May grabbed his hand, dragging him into the fray. "I've been ready for this since we met."

As she and Ash rushed into the busy street together, hand in hand, she knew they'd never be apart again.

* * *

 **Again, thank you so much for reading!**


End file.
